The FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup in Baku concluded on the evening of April 20 (Beijing time). The Chinese rhythmic gymnastics group team claimed one gold and two silver medals, making a strong start in their first international competition of the new Olympic cycle leading up to the Los Angeles Games.

After making history by winning the group all-around gold medal at the Paris Olympics, the Chinese rhythmic gymnastics team has undergone a transition with both veteran and new athletes. Wang Lanjing and Ding Xinyi, who were newcomers during the previous cycle and are now Olympic champions, have become seasoned athletes. Together with Pu Yanzhu, who helped the team win the 5-hoop gold at the 2023 World Championships, they lead two new team members, Zhang Xinyi and Liu Miaoting, who joined last year—forming a new "three veterans and two rookies" lineup.

The FIG has adjusted the group events for the Los Angeles Olympic cycle, changing from 5 hoops and 3 ribbons + 2 balls (used in the Paris cycle) to 5 ribbons and 3 balls + 2 hoops. In response, the Chinese team developed two brand-new routines: the 5-ribbon routine titled Impression of Pingtan and the 3 balls + 2 hoops routine titled Black Wukong. After months of intensive winter training, the team made their debut of the new cycle at the Baku World

Cup.

In the group all-around final, China scored 25.350 in the 5 ribbons and 26.500 in the 3 balls + 2 hoops, totaling 51.850 points to earn the silver medal. The gold went to rhythmic gymnastics powerhouse Bulgaria, while Ukraine took the bronze. In the 5 ribbons apparatus final, China's routine Impression of Pingtan, rich in Chinese cultural elements, received widespread praise from the judges and secured the gold medal with a top score of 25.150. Israel and Kazakhstan won the silver and bronze respectively. In the 3 balls + 2 hoops apparatus final, China again performed impressively, scoring 27.100—an improvement from the all-around final—but narrowly missed the gold by just 0.1 points, earning another silver. Japan took the gold, while Bulgaria claimed the bronze.

It is reported that after the Baku competition, the Chinese team will head directly to Uzbekistan to participate in the upcoming World Cup in Tashkent.