World Artistic Gymnastics Championships 2023: USA women post top qualifying team score 

And that's a wrap for the women's qualifications at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships currently taking place in Antwerp, Belgium, and what a ride it's been.

The United States, who are seeking a seventh consecutive team title topped the standings on 171.395, with Great Britain, silver medallists in the 2022 edition on 166.130 and People's Republic of China, third on 165.663.

Brazil, featuring Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Rebeca Andrade, were fourth (164.297).

Team France, who competed in the last rotation in the qualfying sessions, stood with arms linked, watching the scoreboard for the last mark to come up, screaming with delight on realising they had secured a team berth at their home Games next year.

Nine National Olympic Committees (NOCs) obtained five-woman team quota spots for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Sportpaleis on Monday (2 October) courtesy of coming in the top nine spots in qualifying, with the exception of the United States, Britain and Canada who obtained their quota spots by winning medals in the women's team final at last year's Worlds.

The full list of nations who have secured quota berths to Paris are the United States, Great Britain, Canada, People's Republic of China, Brazil, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Japan, Australia, Romania and Republic of Korea.

Germany, Mexico and Hungary each secured one quota spot after finishing 13th, 14th and 15th, respectively.

Kaylia Nemour (Algeria), Pauline Schäfer (Germany), Alexa Moreno (Mexico), Filipa Martins (Portugal), Aleah Finnegan (Philippines), Lili Czifra (Hungary), Alba Petisco (Spain), Anna Lashchevksa (Ukraine), Lena Bickel (Switzerland), Hillary Heron (Panama), Caitlin Rooskrantz (South Africa), Sona Artamonova (Czechia), Lihie Raz (Israel) and Lucija Hribar (Slovenia) obtained individual quota spots. A host country reallocation sees Rifda Irfanaluthfi (Indonesia) also secure a spot.

As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.

All-around and apparatus finals

Simone Biles returned to the arena almost 10 years to the day she made her Worlds debut in Antwerp, and by qualifying in top spot in the all-around, vault, beam and floor, looks set to add to her 25 World medals (19 gold, three silver, three bronze) come the finals starting with the women's team event on Wednesday (4 October).

The only gymnast to break Biles' domination in qualifying was three-time Asian Championships gold medallist, Qiu Qiyuan of China who scored 14.900 on bars.

Biles' compatriot Shilese Jones was second, with Kaylia Nemour of Algeria third, with a sensationally difficult yet well executed routine. Biles also qualified for bars final.

Pauline Schaefer-Betz, who's competing at her seventh World Championships, was thrilled with the fourth highest qualification score on the apparatus she's won World gold, silver and bronze in 2017, 2021 and 2015, respectively.

"I made the beam final again," the 26-year-old told Olympics.com. "I'm really happy about this because it's a lot of work and also a lot of pressure and I'm really happy that I managed to do this kind of routine."

With all scores heading back to zero for finals, it's all to play for, starting with the men's team event on Tuesday (3 October).