World Artistic Gymnastics Championships 2023: USA lead in early stages of women's team qualifications
Great Britain, Italy and Netherlands also compete in day one of the women's qualifications in Antwerp.
Artistic Gymnastics
Today, Sunday 1 October, was always going to be about one Simone Biles returning to the international stage for the first time since Tokyo 2020, in 2021, as the American took to the Sportpaleis Antwerpen arena to compete at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
The 26-year-old made her spectacular entrance onto the World stage in Belgium at this very same arena a decade ago, winning four medals including two gold. Biles looks set to repeat something similar this time out, going through her routines flawlessly in qualification, including a super high double pike Yurchenko to gasps from the crowd.
The US side, who have already qualified a team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games alongside Great Britain and Canada, courtesy of the trio coming first, second and third, respectively, at the 2022 Worlds in Liverpool, lead the way.
Confidence oozed through the squad with World all-around silver medallist from 2022, Shilese Jones, telling Olympics.com after qualifications: "We feel like we've been here for so long now, we know that we can go out there and hit one after another."
But there are seven sessions to come with 17 more nations jostling not only to qualify in the top eight teams for the final in Antwerp on Tuesday (3 October), but this championships is also the last chance to qualify a five-person team quota berth for Paris 2024.
The top nine nations at the end of qualifying on Monday (2 October), discounting the three countries already qualified, will secure five-person quota berths for Paris 2024. Teams will be selected by the National Olympic Committees (NOC) nearer to Games-time.
One individual quota place will also be secured for the three highest-ranked NOCs that did not earn qualification in the team event.
Individual quota spots will be obtained by 14 women athletes based off the all-around qualification rankings.
Finally, the highest ranked individual on each apparatus (four for women) will secure quotas for Paris.
So, there's a lot more going on at this World Championships, not just the welcome return of Mrs Biles.
Gadirova, Esposito and Visser also shine
The drama started in the first session when European champion on bars Alice D'Amato of Italy came off the apparatus within seconds of one of the beam fan-favourites Eythora Thorsdottir of the Netherlands, who did the same.
In contrast, joyful celebrations were seen from Panama's Hillary Heron, who leapt with glee on finishing her floor routine before bouncing off the podium and into the arms of her equally exuberant coach, Carlos Gil.
That's one happy gymnast and no surprise having become only the second gymnast, barring Simone herself to compete a Biles in competition – a double layout half out on floor, scoring 12.966.
Another happy soul was one Manila Esposito who top scored for the Italians in the all-around competition, and Naomi Visser was the best Netherlands athlete. The pair are currently in fourth and sixth, respectively.
Great Britain were the stand-out performers in the final division of the day with Jessica Gadirova completing a clean competition and no doubt eyeing a return to the floor final to defend her title, plus have a tilt at the all-around podium, too.
Having already qualified a team quota berth, the vibe is a little different for the Brits, Gadirova told Olympics.com:
"I think it has put a little bit less pressure on us because we know we are on the plane to Paris as a team. So we're just using this championships to put out more upgrades and just get more confidence."
The 18-year-old won bronze in the all-around in front of a home crowd in Liverpool in 2022, and she'd love to match or better that this time out, despite having an additional player this year who will be the one for them all to beat.
"Simone is such an incredible idol and it's great to see her back out here," said Gadirova.
The roar in the arena every time Biles' name was announced suggests the fans couldn't agree more.
World Artistic Gymnastics Championships 2023 – women's team final results day one
1 United States 171.395
2 Great Britain 166.130
3 Italy 162.230
4 Netherlands 161.197
5 Republic of Korea 157.297
6 South Africa 147.997
7 Chinese Taipei 145.230