Gymnastics

World all-around champion Kim Zmeskal of the United States and the woman she dethroned, Svetlana Boguinskaia, qualified for individual events as the World Championships began in Paris.

Unlike world meets in previous years, there will no team or individual all-around titles such as those won by Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton in the Olympics.

Qualifying was held in the women’s vault and uneven parallel bars, and the men’s still rings, floor exercise and pommel horse. The top 16 of each event advance to Friday’s semifinals.

Zmeskal, from Houston, advanced in the uneven parallel bars with a routine that earned her 9.887 points for fourth place. Mirela Pasca of Romania led the uneven bars with 9.937.

Boguinskaia, of the Commonwealth of Independent States, scored 9.9 in the vault to tie Hungarian Henrietta Onodi for the top spot.