By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/u-s-women-break-record-at-gymnastics-world-championships-with-7th-straight-win Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter U.S. women break record at gymnastics world championships with 7th straight win Nation Oct 4, 2023 6:07 PM EDT ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — Led by Simone Biles, the U.S. women won a record seventh consecutive team title at the gymnastics world championships on Wednesday night. The American team of Biles, Shilese Jones, Skye Blakely and Leanne Wong combined for a total of 167.729 points to edge Brazil and France. The U.S. team won by a margin of 2.199 points as the final proved to be a closer contest than anticipated after the Americans put up a dominant performance in qualifying. The U.S. women have won gold in the team event at every world championship that included a team competition since 2011. Their victory in Antwerp broke a tie with the Chinese men for the longest streak of consecutive team titles and made Biles the most decorated female gymnast in history. Simone Biles in action on the floor during the 2023 women’s team final. Photo by Yves Herman/ Reuters Biles now has 26 world championship medals, 20 of them gold, to go with her seven Olympic medals, including the 2016 Olympic title. Her 33 combined medals at the sport’s two biggest events are one more than what Larisa Latynina of the Soviet Union achieved. WATCH: President Biden awards Medal of Freedom to Simone Biles, Gabby Giffords and others The U.S team overcame an early scare as Joscelyn Roberson was forced out of the event even before it started after she seemed to hurt an ankle while warming up at the vault. She was helped off the mat and subbed by Wong. Skye Blakely reacts after her routine on the uneven bars during the women’s team final in Antwerp, Belgium on Oct. 4, 2023 Photo by Yves Herman/ Reuters Jones then kicked off the competition smoothly for the Americans with a Double Twist Yurchenko, with only a small hop. Wong responded to the last-minute call with a clean effort before Biles opted for the slightly safer ‘Cheng’ vault rather than the Yurchenko Double Pike she performed during qualifying on Sunday. WATCH: Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and other gymnasts on how FBI ‘betrayed’ them, ‘enabled’ Nassar The Americans amassed 42.966 points and were second behind China after the first rotation following the Chinese gymnasts’ excellent display on uneven bars. Biles and her teammates then bested their Chinese opponents’ performance on bars as they took the overall lead with a margin of 1.467 points. They increased it a bit further after the beam, as Biles made up for the modest 11.700 Wong received by scoring 14.300 with a solid routine. Biles capped off a successful night for the U.S team with a spectacular floor routine rewarded by a 15.166. By — Associated Press Associated Press
ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — Led by Simone Biles, the U.S. women won a record seventh consecutive team title at the gymnastics world championships on Wednesday night. The American team of Biles, Shilese Jones, Skye Blakely and Leanne Wong combined for a total of 167.729 points to edge Brazil and France. The U.S. team won by a margin of 2.199 points as the final proved to be a closer contest than anticipated after the Americans put up a dominant performance in qualifying. The U.S. women have won gold in the team event at every world championship that included a team competition since 2011. Their victory in Antwerp broke a tie with the Chinese men for the longest streak of consecutive team titles and made Biles the most decorated female gymnast in history. Simone Biles in action on the floor during the 2023 women’s team final. Photo by Yves Herman/ Reuters Biles now has 26 world championship medals, 20 of them gold, to go with her seven Olympic medals, including the 2016 Olympic title. Her 33 combined medals at the sport’s two biggest events are one more than what Larisa Latynina of the Soviet Union achieved. WATCH: President Biden awards Medal of Freedom to Simone Biles, Gabby Giffords and others The U.S team overcame an early scare as Joscelyn Roberson was forced out of the event even before it started after she seemed to hurt an ankle while warming up at the vault. She was helped off the mat and subbed by Wong. Skye Blakely reacts after her routine on the uneven bars during the women’s team final in Antwerp, Belgium on Oct. 4, 2023 Photo by Yves Herman/ Reuters Jones then kicked off the competition smoothly for the Americans with a Double Twist Yurchenko, with only a small hop. Wong responded to the last-minute call with a clean effort before Biles opted for the slightly safer ‘Cheng’ vault rather than the Yurchenko Double Pike she performed during qualifying on Sunday. WATCH: Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and other gymnasts on how FBI ‘betrayed’ them, ‘enabled’ Nassar The Americans amassed 42.966 points and were second behind China after the first rotation following the Chinese gymnasts’ excellent display on uneven bars. Biles and her teammates then bested their Chinese opponents’ performance on bars as they took the overall lead with a margin of 1.467 points. They increased it a bit further after the beam, as Biles made up for the modest 11.700 Wong received by scoring 14.300 with a solid routine. Biles capped off a successful night for the U.S team with a spectacular floor routine rewarded by a 15.166.