{"id":11271,"date":"2023-10-06T01:14:15","date_gmt":"2023-10-06T01:14:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/biles-back-in-style-wins-20th-world-title-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2023-10-06T01:14:15","modified_gmt":"2023-10-06T01:14:15","slug":"biles-back-in-style-wins-20th-world-title-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/biles-back-in-style-wins-20th-world-title-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"Biles back in style, wins 20th world title | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nANTWERP:
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Simone Biles<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

The USA extended their domination going back to 2011, in the absence of Russia, the last team to beat them in a major competition.<\/p>\n

“It’s crazy, we still pulled it out, I’m really proud of the team,” said Biles.<\/p>\n

“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.”<\/p>\n

The Americans scored 167.729 points to take gold ahead of Brazil (165.530) with Olympic hosts France winning bronze (164.064).<\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

The team victory gives Biles her 26th world medal and a record-extending 20th world title.<\/p>\n

And she could extend that tally as she is still in the running for five other podiums in Antwerp.<\/p>\n

The Texan has made an impressive comeback, two years after the Tokyo Olympics.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

In Antwerp, however, she seems to be getting her career back on track.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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

“I’m still surprised, I’m 26, I’m a little bit older so it feels just as good as the first one just because we broke records, we came together, we had fight. It’s different but it’s exciting.<\/p>\n

“I’m not like 16 any more, I’m 26, like everything feels different.<\/p>\n

“I’m thinking a little bit more about my gymnastics. It’s not so carefree.<\/p>\n

“Staying at the top and just pushing day in, day out is a little bit harder because I’m older, my body is tired and everybody’s like ‘Gosh she looks great’ and I’m like, I feel I’m going to die sometimes and then I come out here and I rely on my training and get back to work.”<\/p>\n

To achieve this latest title, the 1.42m gymnast didn’t even need to perform her incredible Yurchenko double pike which now bears her name.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, she settled for a Cheng, executed to perfection to launch the American campaign.<\/p>\n

Despite a slight imbalance on the beam, her overall performance, highlighted by scoring 15.166 on the floor, was again strong, like on Sunday during the qualifications.<\/p>\n

Biles, Shilese Jones, Leanne Wong and Skye Blakely resisted a comeback from the Brazilians, who won the first team medal in their history.<\/p>\n

The other member of the American team, Joscelyn Roberson, was injured in the vault warm-up and did not compete.<\/p>\n

Reigning all-around world champion Rebeca Andrade impressed for Brazil, delivering a classy performance on the floor, scoring 14.666.<\/p>\n

The surprise came from France who snatched bronze largely thanks to Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos, Biles’ training partner in the United States.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n