"We’re still very confident. Everyone agrees that we must complete intensive training in the final month," said head coach Sun Dan. Just one day after returning from the World Cup in Milan, the Chinese national rhythmic gymnastics group team resumed training, practicing from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. This rigorous schedule will now become the norm. "Looks like we won't be having meals at normal hours for the next month," Sun joked.

At the FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup in Milan last weekend, China’s group team claimed one gold and one bronze medal, and secured the overall group all-around championship title for the 2025 World Cup Series. In addition to athletes Wang Lanjing, Ding Xinyi, Pu Yanzhu, Zhang Xingyi, and Liu Miaoting, newcomer Zhao Wanzhu joined the Milan lineup, making it a six-member rotation. Sun Dan explained that this young team is about offering more opportunities: "We want to bring in more young talent and develop new athletes, giving us more options when selecting the lineup. Introducing new faces always comes with risks, such as inconsistency in timing. Our 5-ribbon routine wasn’t ideal this time, while the 3-ball-2-hoop routine was slightly better. It was a mixed performance, showing us both the problems in training and the gaps in psychological and technical stability among younger athletes."

Building on performances at the Baku and Tashkent World Cups earlier this year, China’s routines in Milan—Impression of Pingtan (5 ribbons) and Black Wukong (3 balls, 2 hoops)—incorporated increased difficulty. The 3-ball-2-hoop routine won a gold medal and posted the highest score of the season. However, the 5-ribbon routine had some errors, affecting the final score. Overall, the team withstood the test of a new lineup and upgraded routines.

"Compared to the previous two stops, there was a gap of over two months. While other international teams continued competing, we stayed home, watching videos and evaluating. We realized the previous difficulty levels wouldn't be enough for the World Championships or upcoming events. So, during these two months, we made adjustments to raise the level. That inevitably made this competition harder, but every competition helps the athletes mature and better grasp the new skills. We don’t want to be caught off guard at Worlds—we’d rather challenge ourselves now," Sun said.

She emphasized that the Milan stop was helpful in identifying issues ahead of the Worlds. "This was our final chance to understand international judges’ standards and how they view our routines. We now know which elements are accepted and which are not. We'll make final corrections accordingly."

With a total of 1 gold and 2 silvers from Baku, 1 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze from Tashkent, and 1 gold and 1 bronze from Milan, the Chinese group team secured the overall title of the World Cup Series. This affirms the team’s strength, but the upcoming World Championships will be fiercely contested. Powerhouses like Bulgaria, Israel, Italy, and Spain pose major threats. Host nation Brazil should not be underestimated, and Japan also showed strong form in Milan. The intense, multi-contender competition from the previous Olympic cycle continues to escalate.

"Now that we're working with a young team, we dare not set goals lightly," Sun said with a smile as she looked ahead to Worlds. "Of course, we hope for strong results, but it's hard to be confident with such a young lineup. The competition will be tough, but I hope the World Championships will serve as valuable experience for our athletes."

The Worlds will be a true test, but this young team is brimming with fighting spirit, passion, and determination. "Working with young athletes gives me heart palpitations," Sun laughed. "They get frustrated when the first routine doesn’t go well, but once motivated, they bounce back incredibly fast. That was our biggest takeaway from this stop. Being with them feels like a rollercoaster ride, but their enthusiasm and energy are contagious. Over the next month, we’ll go all out."