The 2023 World Gymnastics Championship, the most prestigious event in the sport, was held from Sept. 30 – Oct. 8 at Sportpaleis, an arena in Antwerp, Belgium.
Its first edition being held in 1903, the World Gymnastics Championship, or the WGC, has gymnasts from all over the world competing in a plethora of different events, such as vault, uneven bars, floor and balance beam.
One of the most successful women of the night was United States gymnast Simone Biles, 26, who is one of the most accomplished gymnasts of all time and has seven Olympic medals in the sport.
Biles accomplished an astounding feat at the WGC this year. According to The Washington Post, “Biles won her sixth all-around title at world championships with a commanding performance in Friday’s final. She is now the most decorated gymnast, male or female, in the sport’s history.”
Biles’ national team, the United States, also saw great success at the event, taking home gold in the best women’s team category. The team is no stranger to this type of success.
According to Good Morning America, “the [U.S.] Women’s National Gymnastics Team, led by Biles, has cemented a spot in sports history with its seventh consecutive world championship title.”
A breakout star for the U.S. in this competition was Leanne Wong, 20, who was originally not even supposed to participate.
Wong stepped up to compete after team member, Joscelyn Roberson, injured her ankle during warm-ups, removing her from the competition.
Wong definitely helped lead the team to victory as she placed seventh in the entire competition in the women’s vault category.
When asked about the competition by Good Morning America, Wong said, “We had an incredible night. I’m just so proud of this team. I know it wasn’t easy, but we fought through every event, every skill and every routine — winning the seventh straight gold medal is pretty impressive.”
The United States’ women’s team’s greatest competitors at the WGC were Brazil, who won silver, and France, who won bronze, in the women’s team category.
Overall, the WGC was a heavily anticipated event, but it had an expected outcome. The United States has been by far the most dominant force in women’s gymnastics for almost a decade. This seventh consecutive win just helped cement that fact even further.
