Biles wins 20th world title as US women seal team gold in world gymnastics

AFP, Belgium :
Simone Biles claimed her 20th world title as she continued her return from a two-year break to lead the United States to a seventh straight women’s team gold at the world gymnastics championships in Antwerp on Wednesday.

The USA extended their domination going back to 2011, in the absence of Russia, the last team to beat them in a major competition.

“It’s crazy, we still pulled it out, I’m really proud of the team,” said Biles.

“It’s the seventh title in a row for the United States.

For some girls, it’s their first World Championship, I’m excited to share that with them.”

The Americans scored 167.729 points to take gold ahead of Brazil (165.530) with Olympic hosts France winning bronze (164.064).

“She’s the leader, having someone so inspiring and so encouraging… Team USA came together and we did what we needed to do tonight,” said Biles’ teammate Shilese Jones.

The team victory gives Biles her 26th world medal and a record-extending 20th world title.

And she could extend that tally as she is still in the running for five other podiums in Antwerp.

The Texan has made an impressive comeback, two years after the Tokyo Olympics.

Arriving in Japan as the big favourite thanks to her four gold medals won five years earlier in Rio de Janeiro, Biles broke down in full view of a global audience, withdrawing from four of the five finals.

She explained that she was fighting against the “twisties”, a temporary mental block whereby gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air, with the risk of injury when they land.

In Antwerp, however, she seems to be getting her career back on track.

It was in the same city that Biles won her first world gold 10 years ago during her first world championships, when she claimed four medals, including two golds.

“I think each and every time you are crowned world champion it feels a little bit different,” Biles told journalists in Belgium.