One of the two (along with Chen) strongest rings gymnasts in 2008, Yuri van Gelder of the Netherlands, did not qualify: the Dutch team had earned one spot, which went to high bar specialist Epke Zonderland; van Gelder's all-around score did not qualify him for an additional place, and apparatus specialist places went only to the 2007 world champions—van Gelder had won in 2005, but finished second to Chen in 2007. In 2012, the qualification rules would be changed to include all world championship apparatus medalists.
