SABAE, Japan -- For the American men gymnasts, no misses, no regrets, and a surprising early third-place standing.
For the women, one little mistake, by national champion Dominique Moceanu, at 14 the youngest member of the team. But still a sizable lead -- in both the team and individual races -- over a not very threatening field Monday at the opening of the World Gymnastics Championships.
With such strong women's teams as Romania, Russia and China still to compete over the next two days, Americans held the top four positions in qualifying for the individual all-around title.
Shannon Miller, the 1993 and 1994 world champion, was slightly ahead of Moceanu. Jaycie Phelps and Kerri Strug followed, and Phelps had the best individual mark of the day -- 9.800 on the uneven bars.
The U.S. men held third place after 12 of the 24 teams had completed their compulsory exercises.
Furthermore, the teams ahead of them -- Japan and China -- were there because of better technique, not because of any American mistakes.
"We didn't miss a routine today," said Jair Lynch, who had one of the Americans' highest marks, 9.550 on the parallel bars. "We did our job. We'll ... see where we place. I think it will be in the top six."
Still to compete in the men's compulsories Tuesday and Wednesday are such strong contenders as Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
After the optional exercises Thursday and Friday, the Americans must finish in the top 12 to qualify for the 1996 Olympics.
"The whole team was on fire," Kip Simons said.
China, the defending men's team champion, was second, behind Japan, 282.060 points to 282.048.
The United States, ninth at the 1994 World Championships, had 280.336 points, followed by Romania with 279.974.
In the individual standings, four-time U.S. national champion John Roethlisberger was fifth with 56.500 points.
The top 36 qualify for the individual all-around finals.
China's Li Xiaoshuang, the floor exercises gold medalist at the 1992 Olympics, led with 56.987, with more than 100 gymnasts still to compete. Japan's Hikaru Tanaka, whose 9.725 on the horizontal bar was the best men's score of the day, was second with 56.800.
In the women's competition, the 1994 silver medalist U.S. team led with 191.722 points to 184.745 for Hungary and 182.857 for Greece.
Miller had a score of 38.699, including a 9.787 in floor exercises. Moceanu had 38.536, including 9.737s on the balance beam and in floor exercises. Phelps had 38.337 and Strug 38.012.
"I'm pleased with the overall performance," said Bela Karolyi, coach of the U.S. women's team, adding that Moceanu was upset by her over-rotation on one turn on the uneven bars, which cost her about .3 points.
"She better be," said Karolyi, who called the mistake "a learning experience" for Moceanu, who went from American junior champion to senior champion in one year, edging Miller for the 1995 title.
"Dominique is very young. She has great prospects, even though she had a mistake tonight."
The U.S. team was weakened by injuries, including a broken wrist for Dominique Dawes, the 1994 national champion
