China with their Silver Medals during the 2022 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Final match in Sydney, Australia on October 1, 2022 Photo: VCG

A runners-up finish at the recent 2022 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Sydney, Australia helped China vault into second place in the FIBA women's world rankings, world basketball's governing body announced in a statement on Monday.

The US still top the rankings with 848.8 points after beating China 83-61 in the final to win the title.

China, who ranked seventh before the tournament, collected 676.5 points to jump to second place.

China lost only to the US at the tournament to finish in the top three at a World Cup for the first time since 1994.

In third place is Australia with 668.3 points, after finishing the tournament third on home court.

Spain fell from second place to fourth with 661 points after failing to qualify for the World Cup.

Other big jumpers in the rankings include Puerto Rico, who rose six spots to 10th after reaching the quarterfinals of the World Cup, while Bosnia and Herzegovina rose ten slots to 14th, and Mali moved up nine places to 26th.

Xinhua