2015 Trampoline Gymanstics World Championships in Odense

With less than nine months before the Rio Olympic Games begin, the world's top Trampolinists will make a big leap toward making their Olympic dreams come true at the Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships Thursday through Sunday in Odense, Denmark.

The 31st edition of the World Trampoline Championships, the competition is also the first qualification for next summer's Olympics. Half of the 16 men's and women's berths for Rio will be earned in Odense, while others will advance to the Olympic Test Event April 20 in Rio for a second shot at Olympic qualification.

In addition to Trampoline, which has figured in the Olympic programme since 2000, World titles in Synchronised Trampoline, Double-mini Trampoline and Tumbling are also up for grabs in Odense. For these three disciplines too there is something extra to be earned in Denmark: Qualification places for The World Games 2017 in Wroclaw (POL), the "Olympics for non-Olympic disciplines," are also up in the air.

Return of the Olympic champions

Three Olympic champions continue to bounce among the top contenders. China's Dong Dong, a three-time World champion (2009, 2010 and 2013), was also Olympic champion in 2012, four years after having taken bronze in 2008. His compatriot He Wenna, the 2011 World champion, won Olympic gold in 2008 and bronze in 2012. The reigning Olympic champion, Canada's Rosannagh MacLennan, was also crowned World champion in 2013.

Canada has another star in 2003 World champion Karen Cockburn, who has not won an individual World title since but owns three Olympic medals (bronze in 2000, silvers in 2004 and 2008). Ekaterina Khilko (UZB), the bronze medallist from the 2008 Games, and Jason Burnett and Dmitry Ushakov (RUS), silver medallists in 2008 and 2012, respectively, also know what it's like to stand on the Olympic podium.

China, an enduring dynasty

No team in Odense is as supercharged as China, which boasts five gymnasts who have won World titles in Individual Trampoline and two who have won Olympic gold as well. In the Men's competition, 2012 Olympic champion Dong Dong and reigning World champion Tu Xiao will try to hold off the charge of younger teammates Gao Lei and Xiao Jinyu for the coveted two gymnasts per country spots in the medal round. Making the final would signal that they are still the best China has to offer in Men's Trampoline, but Gao has proven especially dangerous the past two seasons, having beaten both his rivals several times already in World Cup competition.

All four of the Chinese women in Odense have the potential to win the World title -- indeed, Li Dan (2010), 2008 Olympic champion He Wenna (2011) and Liu Lingling (2014) already have. Zhong Xingping, meanwhile, was World runner up in 2013.

The age-proof veterans

Age is just a number for top contenders Nikolai Kazak, 38, Karen Cockburn, 35, Ekaterina Khilko, 33 and Tatsiana Piatrenia, 34. Still at the top of their abilities, each of these 30-somethings could play spoiler to the favorites. Canada's Cockburn, the most decorated Olympic Trampoline gymnast in history, is aiming to qualify for what would be her fifth Olympic Games in Rio, as is Uzbekistan's Khilko, the Olympic bronze medallist from 2008. Belarus's Piatrenia won a World title in Synchro Trampoline in 2003 and proved she's still relevant by winning the Loulé World Cup, the finale of the 2015 FIG World Cup series, last month in Portugal. With Synchro partner Uladzislau Hancharou, Kazak won World silver in 2014, 20 years after making his World Championship debut for Belarus.

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