Andrade wins vault gold, Biles wins silver at World Gymnastics

Andrade wins vault gold, Biles wins silver despite fall at 2023 World Gymnastic Championships.

- Brazilian Rebeca Andrade won gold in the women's vault at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Antwerp on Saturday after a fall by Simone Biles denied the American another win.

Biles won her 21st World Championships gold medal in Friday's all-around event, with Andrade, the reigning champion, finishing second. But the order was reversed on Saturday as a near flawless Andrade won by a margin of 0.201 points.

Yet the silver still extended Biles' record tally of World and Olympics medals to 35.

• "I didn't expect this, of course in my head I always want to win but the primary goal is to do my thing. I don't know if I can believe it but it was something that I really wanted," Andrade said.

Biles over-rotated her signature Yurchenko double pike -- which will be renamed the Biles II -- and fell backwards on the mat on landing.

• "I didn't expect Simone to fall, so I feel sad for her because I know how much we train for this," Andrade added.

The American also took a half-point deduction because her coach stood on the mat as a precaution, ready to assist in case of an accident.

After scoring 15.000 points with her first vault, Andrade then pulled off a double twisting Yurchenko.

Biles also took part in the uneven bars final, but finished fifth in the event won by 16-year-old Qiyuan Qiu of China. Algeria's Kaylia Nemour took the silver while American Shilese Jones took the bronze medal.

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