Angelina Melnikova from Russia won the world individual gymnastics title, narrowly defeating American Lian Wong by just 0.1 points. Melnikova, who entered the final rotation in third place, scored 13.466 points in her floor exercise, significantly improving her qualifying score. Despite her initial worries about her performance, she was awarded only a minor penalty for going out of bounds.
Melnikova’s victory comes after a hiatus from world championships due to Russian athlete bans following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. She previously held the 2021 World Individual All-Around Title, with both victories marked by tight margins.
Wong, who performed well throughout the competition and held a lead going into her final routine, ultimately secured the silver medal. She chose to attempt a difficult vault but stumbled on landing. Despite her disappointment, she expressed satisfaction with her performance.
The article notes the ongoing success of American women in gymnastics, with concerns about the future as prominent athletes take breaks or are injured. The World Championships will continue with individual equipment finals.
Results:
– Gold: Angelina Melnikova (55.066 points)
– Silver: Lian Wong (54.966 points)
– Bronze: Zhang Qingying (54.633 points)
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