ANTWERP, Belgium (October 4, 2023) – In a dramatic competition, the U.S. women’s team clinched their historic seventh-consecutive team gold medal Wednesday at the 2023 FIG World Championships.
Simone Biles (Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre), Skye Blakely (Frisco, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics), Shi Jones (Auburn, Wash./Ascend Gymnastics Center), Joscelyn Roberson (Texarkana, Texas/World Champions Centre) and Leanne Wong (Overland Park, Kan./University of Florida Gymnastics) turned in a combined score of 167.729 in Wednesday night’s final. Brazil took the silver medal with 165.530, followed closely by France in third (164.064), China fourth (163.162) and Italy fifth (162.997).
The three-up, three score format of the event made for drama even before competition began. During final warm-ups on the first apparatus – vault – Roberson sustained a left leg injury while landing. Team USA leapt into action, with Wong taking her place on vault and floor as the team worked through the emotion of the moment.
It was a team effort for the U.S. on each apparatus. Biles sported the highest scores of the U.S. on balance beam (14.300), vault (14.800) and floor exercise (15.166), while Jones led Americans on uneven bars (14.633). After rushing to warm-up, Wong delivered her trademark solid scores on vault (14.066) and floor (13.166). Blakely added to the team’s great bars rotation with a score of 14.166.
Next on the schedule for the women are Biles and Jones in Friday’s all-around final, followed by event finals where both women will contest beam, floor, and bars; Biles also will compete on vault. Roberson also is qualified for the vault final.
Action in Antwerp continues Thursday at 1:30 p.m. ET when Asher Hong (Tomball, Texas/Stanford University) and Fred Richard (Stoughton, Mass./University of Michigan) take on the men’s all-around final. Peacock will stream final rounds live. For complete results, visit the FIG microsite.
