Dong Dong and Tu Xiao, one of China's best men's athlete double, contributed greatly to the country's trampoline gymnastics national team's win in the mixed team all-around event of the 33rd FIG Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships on Thursday in St. Petersburg, Russia.
There were eight events for the mixed trampoline competition: Individual, synchronized, double mini-trampoline and tumbling, each of which has men's and women's.
Dong Dong and Tu Xiao had a perfectly synchronized trampoline performance that lead to China claiming the title.
China's total score was 682.195, placing host Russia's 664.690 and the United States' 664.250 far behind.
Dong Dong is a veteran medal winner – he got bronze in 2008 in Beijing, gold in 2012 in London, and silver in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro – but Tu Xiao missed the Olympics three times.
29-year-old Dong won gold medals in three consecutive Asian Games, and the 30-year-old Tu also has numerous world championship titles and last year's National Games trophy.
Dong Dong (L) and Tu Xiao (R) of China celebrate winning gold in the synchronized trampoline men's final during the 28th Trampoline and Tumbling World Championships at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, England, November 20, 2011. /VCG Photo
With similar appearances, figures and excellent synchronization, the duo has made a career of winning at a high level. Their success largely comes from their experience training, living and competing together.
The ”Twin Stars” met each other in the Shanxi provincial team in 2002, but Tu entered the national team one year before Dong. During their 15 years together, they have learned to work and compete together, but what stands out is their friendship.
After Tu Xiao won the 13th National Games trampoline individual in 2017, Dong Dong said in a CCTV.com interview, "When Tu Xiao won the gold medal, I feel much happier than if another athlete won.”
Gold medalist Tu Xiao (R) and silver medalist Dong Dong (L) of the men's individual trampoline match for the 2017 National Games embrace the director of Shanxi Province Sports Department Su Yajun, Tianjin, China, August 30, 2017. /VCG Photo
Though there are concerns about Dong's performance as he gets older, he had suggested that he enjoyed every moment in the games at an interview with China Sports Daily after bagging the gold medal in the trampoline individual of the Asian Games this summer, but he also said, "My ultimate aim is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, and I'll go ahead steadily and firmly for every step."
Tu Xiao is also clinging to the Olympic dream, reportedly saying at his sports alma mater in Sichuan province, "The reason why I'm still striving in this sport is because I want to participate in the Olympic Games. As an Olympics event athlete, never attending them is shameful."
The schedule for trampoline gymnasts is already set for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, with two spots for every country for the individual qualifications. The champion of the 2019 Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships acts as a qualifying path for the four-year event.