Reigning champion suffers qualification exit at Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships

Reigning men's trampoline champion Tu Xiao crashed out at the qualification stage ©Getty Images

Reigning world champion Tu Xiao of China’s title defence ended at the first hurdle as he crashed out at the qualification stage on the opening day of the Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships in Odense.

The 27-year-old finished sixth overall in the men’s trampoline competition but was only the fourth best Chinese gymnast and missed out on the final as the top three per country advance.

His place was taken by compatriot Xiao Jinyu, making his debut at the World Championships.

Uladzislau Hancharou of Belarus, winner of the bronze medal at the 2014 event in Daytona Beach, topped the qualification standings with a total of 110.975 points, narrowly ahead of China's Gao Lei.

Olympic silver medallist Dmitry Ushakov of Russia was third in front of China’s London 2012 champion Dong Dong.

In the women’s event, defending world champion Liu Lingling, also of China, looked to have delivered a perfect routine before a fall cost her the lead at the summit of the qualification leaderboard.

Liu recorded the third best overall score of the day with 102.185, with teammate and current Olympic champion He Wenna second and fellow Chinese gymnast Li Dan, the 2010 World Championships gold medallist, sitting in first place on 103.130

Both men’s and women’s trampoline events offer key qualification points for next year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Jia Fangfang leads the women's tumbling qualification at the World Championships ©Getty Images

The Chinese fared slightly better in the tumbling qualification as they lead both the men's and women's standings thanks to Yang Song and Jia Fangfang.

Yang, winner of last year's event, scored an impressive 79.400 points to lead the way on the men's side ahead of compatriot Zhang Kuo, who earned 77.300.

Russia's Andrey Krylov progressed safely in third place ahead of team-mate Tomofei Podust.

Two more Chinese gymnasts, Liu Longji and Meng Wengchao, finished in fifth and sixth but missed out on final on Saturday (November 28), as only two athletes from any one country were allowed to progress.

Jia was similarly dominant on the women's side, scoring 71.600 points to lead Russia's Anna Korobenkova on 70.000.

Britain's Lucie Colebeck and Rachel Davies also qualified in third and fourth.

Eight gymnasts will be in each final, with the men's event scheduled for Sunday (November 29).

More than 300 athletes are competing at the four-day event.