1.   And because its qualifying competition was so damned tough to survive.

2.   For nine minutes last week, the United States had been effectively eliminated from World Cup qualifying competition.

3.   Japan, which won the final Olympic qualifying competition in Osaka, has been grouped with the U.S, China, South Korea, the Netherlands and Ukraine.

4.   Norris said that stress from the police incidents forced him out of the qualifying competitions and led him to cease training for the Olympics.

5.   The US requires only a draw in Costa Rica to overtake Mexico in the qualifying competition.

6.   Three Olympic qualifying competitions will be held for the dressage squad, as well as four show jumping World Cup events.

7.   To become eligible for the Olympics, Chen must now skate strongly at a qualifying competition in Vienna next fall.

8.   Two Olympic veterans and one newcomer dominated the March qualifying competition for the U.S. dressage squad.

9.   ACC Secretary Jagmohan Dalmiya said the former qualifying competition, the South East Asian ICC Associate Members Trophy tournament, has now been replaced by the new tournament.

10.   American Tonia Kwaitkowski, who is not entered in the qualifying competition, led with a clean, though not brilliant program to Japanese music.