© John Cheng

DOHA, Qatar, Oct. 27, 2018 – After six of the 11 subdivisions, the U.S. women sit atop the team rankings in the qualification round at the 2018 World Gymnastics Championships at the Aspire Dome in Doha, Qatar. 2016 Olympic and three-time World all-around champion Simone Biles of Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre, and 2017 World all-around champion Morgan Hurd of Middletown, Del./First State Gymnastics, currently are ranked first and second, respectively, in the all-around rankings. The women’s qualification round wraps up tomorrow, and the finals begin with the men’s team competition on Oct. 29 at 4 p.m. Doha time/9 a.m. ET.

The U.S. women’s team includes Kara Eaker of Grain Valley, Missouri/ Great American Gymnastics Express; Grace McCallum of Isanti, Minn./Twin City Twisters; Riley McCusker of Brielle, N.J./MG Elite; Biles; and Hurd. Ragan Smith of Lewisville, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, is the alternate.

In the team competition, the USA notched a 174.429 total for the qualifications, and currently Japan is second at 162.180, followed by Germany in third with 161.071. The U.S. women’s team event scores were: vault, 45.166; uneven bars, 43.465; balance beam, 42.732; and floor exercise, 43.066.

The women’s individual event scores are below.

  • Vault: Biles, 15.966 (2nd, 15.366; avg. 15.666); McCallum, 14.600 (2nd, 13.533; avg, 14.066); Hurd, 14.600; McCusker, 14.266
  • Uneven bars: Biles, 14.866; Hurd, 14.466; McCusker, 14.133; Grace McCallum, 14.100
  • Balance beam: Biles, 14.800; Eaker, 14.466; Hurd, 13.466; McCusker, 13.100
  • Floor exercise: Biles, 15.333; Hurd, 13.933; McCallum, 13.800; McCusker, 13.266

At the midpoint of the all-around qualification, Biles posted the highest mark of 60.965, with Hurd in second at 56.465. Japan’s Mai Murakami is third (55.632), and Belgium’s Nina Derwael sits in fourth (55.564). McCusker is fifth at 54.765.

The current rankings of the U.S. women on each apparatus are: vault – Biles/1 and McCallum/6; uneven bars – Biles/2, Hurd/4, McCusker/6, and McCallum/7; balance beam – Biles/1, Eaker/2, Hurd/5, and McCusker/14; and floor exercise – Biles/1, Hurd/3, McCallum/4, and McCusker/8.

The qualification round determines advancement to the team, all-around and event finals. The top eight teams from the qualification round compete in the team finals Oct. 29 for the men and Oct. 30 for the women. The top 24 individuals from the qualification round compete in the all-around finals on Oct. 31 for the men and Nov. 1 for the women. For individual events, the top eight on each event from the qualification round advance to the finals (Nov. 2-3). A maximum of two gymnasts per country advances to the finals. The World Championships are held every year, with the exception of the Olympic year.

The finals schedule is: Oct. 29, men’s team, 9 a.m. ET; Oct. 30, women’s team, 9 a.m. ET; Oct. 31, men’s all-around, 9 a.m. ET; Nov. 1, women’s all-around; Nov. 2, event finals (men – floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings; women – vault, uneven bars), 9 a.m. ET; and Nov. 3, event finals (men – vault, parallel bars, horizontal bar; women – balance beam, floor exercise), 9 a.m. ET.

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. The organization is committed to creating a culture that empowers and supports its athletes and focuses on its highest priority, the safety and well-being of the athletes. USA Gymnastics has already taken specific, concrete steps to strengthen its safe sport policies and procedures. The organization’s disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics and gymnastics for all (formerly known as group gymnastics). For more complete information, log on to usagym.org.