United States, six-time world champion; Canada makes history and qualifies for Paris 2024

With Russia unable to compete in world championships, one of the sports that most affects its “normality” is, without a doubt, gymnastics. In any of its branches, it is not possible to explain the history of the discipline without talking about Russians, Soviets or representatives of the easternmost part of Europe.

Since the decision in March by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) to suspend Russia and Belarus due to the invasion of Ukraine, each international tournament has become an unprecedented opportunity for non-traditional flags to climb one of the podium steps. The great peculiarity of this 51st World Artistic Gymnastics Championship, which takes place from Saturday, October 29 to Sunday, November 6 in Liverpool, is that in the team final, not only were awarded the three best teams in 2022, but those medals also meant the first three places in artistic gymnastics for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

And so the United States, Great Britain and Canada became the top three finishers for the next Games, tickets that are owned by countries and not by gymnasts, so from today until 2024 each national federation will internally select the five athletes that will make up its Olympic teams.

The United States, top favorite even without Simone Biles - not retired, just “taking care of her mental health” - scored a total of 166,564 points, almost three more than the British runners-up. The team, with Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles as survivors of Tokyo 2020, struggled with the extra pressure of adding the sixth world title in line for their country and thus updating the statistics that Romania had in the ‘90s with the record of five consecutive World Cups.

Great Britain was second with 163,363 and for the first time in its history achieved this result with the women’s artistic team. What was done by sisters Gadirova, Alice Kinsella, Georgia-Mae Fenton and Ondine Achampong decompresses weeks of great tension in the Federation (British Gymnastics), which after going through two years of repeated complaints of abuse and mistreatment, institutionally apologized for allowing a toxic culture and published a document a few days ago called Reforma ‘25, an action plan that includes the disclosure of the names and surnames of the reported coaches. In the midst of that internal rebellion, this medal with an Olympic place, won at home in front of thousands of small fans who witnessed elite gymnasts enjoying the competition, was a bit of fresh air amidst the painful and necessary revision of the method.

And bronze from Canada. That chapter would merit several separate paragraphs. Perhaps the image of the night at Liverpool Arenal is that of Elsabeth Ellie Black, the “veteran” of 27 years and seven World Cups, excited to give her country a historic World Cup medal and an Olympic place secured almost two years earlier, which changes all the team’s plans and finally places her as a legend of Canadian sport.

Canada reached the last rotation competing for third place with Japan. And it was in the match point situation that Black demonstrated why she has been at the top international level for ten years. While Japan wasted its chance on asymmetrical parallels, Black closed no less than the balance beam with 13,833 points, a superb series with its seal of consistency. All her teammates embraced her when the total of 160,563 points was confirmed for that third place in history.

The short story that ends up giving emotion to the Canadian feat is the last-minute loss of Shallon Olsen, who was out hours before podium training. The Olympic jumping finalist found out about her mother’s death and returned to Canada immediately, so she couldn’t compete. Surely Olsen will fight to be one of the five that make up the team in Paris 2024 and fortunately she will receive the world medal because she appeared on the official roster as a substitute gymnast for this bronze Canada.

The digital conversation among gymnastics fans was dominated by the impossibility of watching the qualifying days, where more than 400 gymnasts from 74 countries participated in the marathon qualifying sessions on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The International Federation only requires and markets the television of the finals, so competitors who do not access the definition by medals went through the main tournament of the year without us being able to see their routines in an official and professional broadcast.