Buoyant British women, Rebeca Andrade dominate day 2 of qualification at Gymnastics Worlds

The USA was still atop the leaderboard when the chalk cleared in the M&S Bank Arena at the close of two days of women’s qualification at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Liverpool (GBR).

But almost everything else had changed.

A superb effort by Great Britain upended the team standings in the last of 10 subdivisions that saw 23 teams contend for Tuesday’s women’s team final. The eight best teams, 24 strongest individual All-Around gymnasts, and top eight on each individual apparatus advance to the medal rounds that determine new World champions, beginning with the women’s team final 1 November.

The strong British team — Ondine Achampong, Georgia-Mae Fenton, Jennifer Gadirova, Jessica Gadirova, and Alice

Kinsella — had a few nervy moments but seemed to gain momentum as they went on, capping the evening with a brilliant performance on Vault to the delight of those in attendance.

“We’ve had a few mistakes, which we can work on to get ready for the team final, but honestly we didn’t expect to qualify in second,” Kinsella said. “We’re just super,

super happy and hope we can do that again.”

Britain’s total of 164.595 points puts them 2.668 points behind the USA, but well within striking distance, particularly with the unforgiving format — where three gymnasts compete, and all three scores count — that awaits in the team final.

Olympic All-Around silver medallist Rebeca Andrade, a heavy favorite for the overall title, qualified to the final in pole position, outpacing night one leader Shilese Jones (USA) with her 57.332 total score. Andrade was brilliant on Floor Exercise and on her first vault, where she earned 15.066, the highest score of the competition so far.

Yet the reigning World and Olympic champion will not contend for the title on her signature apparatus; her second vault in qualification went awry, relegating her to being an alternate to the final this year.

Vault, so good to the British, proved wicked for Brazil. In addition to Andrade’s stumble, teammate Flavia Saraiva appeared to injure her leg landing a double-twisting Yurchenko. Brazil nevertheless finished third, just a point shy of Britain.

Saraiva’s status remains a question mark. “We don’t know yet (if she is injured), so we’ll see what happens,” Brazilian coach Francisco Porath Neto said. “We preferred to play safe and for her not to do the dismount on Bars, just to take care.”

Italy, Japan, the People’s Republic of China, France, and Canada also move on to the final. Andrade and Saraiva tied for the best mark on Floor Exercise (14.200), though Andrade ranked second in the qualification due to her lower execution score.

China’s Luo Rui (14.900) and Ou Yushan (13.900) were the top qualifiers on Uneven Bars and Balance Beam, respectively. Jade Carey’s (USA) 14.483 on Vault was the only mark from the first day of qualification not to be surpassed.