World Championships continued today with the women’s team finals and USA was crowned the 2014 World Champion. USA absolutely dominated the competition and finished almost seven points ahead of second place China. China had a few falls but was able to pull it together to secure silver with a 172.587. Russia snagged bronze with a 171.462. 

There were many falls from multiple countries but USA had an incredible performance and hit every single one of their routines. No USA gymnast has fallen in a Worlds Team Finals since 2010.
 

 

After qualifications, USA was first heading into the finals followed by China then Russia. However, the slate was wiped clean and every team had to prove themselves once again today.

 

USA started on vault lead off by Kyla Ross who performed a beautiful Yurchenko double full with a small hop forward for a 15.1. Mykayla Skinner followed with her dynamic Cheng with an almost stuck landing for a 15.775. Simone Biles anchored with her always impressive Amanar. It had great height and she took a hop forward, almost identical to her vault in qualifications, and she scored a 15.866. 

 

China also started on vault lead off by Yao Jinnan’s Yurchenko double full. She had good height and great form in the air but low chest on her landing to earn a 14.966. Chen Siyi followed with another Yurchenko double but she had a very low landing, nearly falling to her knees but instead taking a big step forward to save it. She scored a 14.166. Tan Jiaxin anchored with the same vault for a 14.991. 

 

Russia started on bars with Daria Spiridonova who performed gorgeous releases and pirouettes and nearly flawless form, scoring a 14.966. Ekatarina Kramarenko followed with a hit routine with some small execution errors for a 14.633. Aliya Mustafina anchored and executed a strong routine including a stuck full in dismount for a 15.066.

 

Other highlights of the rotation included Vanessa Ferrari of Italy on beam who performed a difficult and exciting beam routine with big leaps. She had some wobbles and and scored a 14.3. Larisa Iordache lead Romania on floor where she nailed all of her passes for a 14.708. Ruby Harrold of Great Britain had an original and exciting bar routine with big, well executed, releases and scored a 14.066. Great Britain teammate Rebecca Downie followed with a 15.1 bar routine. 

 

Japan started on beam where they suffered a fall. Larrissa Miller from Australia had a beautiful routine but fell on her last pass of a double pike. 

 

After rotation one, USA had the lead with a 46.741 followed by Russia who scored a 44.665. China scored a 44.123 after starting on one of their weaker events. Great Britain was in fourth with a 43.232 and Romania in fifth a 42.074.

 

USA moved to bars in the second rotation where they had an outstanding lineup. Ross started off the team with a beautiful routine. She performed every skill with nearly flawless form and she stuck her double layout dismount for a 14.733. Madison Kocian performed with another hit routine and stuck dismount for a 14.9. She missed one of her connections but had a very clean routine. Last up was bar phenom Ashton Locklear who also missed a connection but had a gorgeous routine otherwise and scored a 15.1.

 

China suffered a fall on their very first bar routine from Shang Chunsong. She had a beautiful routine but casted over and wasn’t able to save it. She finished strong but only earned a 13.933. Huang Huidan was next up and had a lot of pressure on her shoulders but she handled it well. She performed an incredibly difficult routine, executed beautifully for a 15.133. Jinnan anchored and ended up falling and scoring a 14.533. This was not the performance that China was hoping for or expecting on their strongest event. 

 

Kramarenko of Russia fell off beam on a switch leap and scored a 12.133. Mustafina stayed on the beam but had a couple wobbles and ended up with a 14.766. Kharenkova finished the rotation with a huge routine for a 15.033. 

 

Romania had a strong vault rotation highlighted by Iordache’s big Yurchenko double that scored a 15.066.

 

Mai Murakami of Japan had a great floor routine where she opened with a tuck double double and finished with a 2 1/2 twist for a 13.7.

 

After rotation two, USA increased their lead to almost four points ahead of any other team. USA has a 91.474, China was second with an 87.722 despite their two falls, and Romania moved up to third with an 86.831. Just tenths behind Romania was Russia in fourth with an 86.597.

 

USA went to beam looking strong at the halfway mark. Alyssa Baumann started the rotation with a hesitant but hit routine. She had a couple wobbles including one on her standing arabian but finished strong for a 14.5. Ross followed on beam where she had a great save on her side somi. The rest of her routine was clean and confident and she scored a 14.333. Biles anchored where she had an incredible save on her handspring, layout, layout series. She finished strong for a 14.966. 

 

Huang lead off for China on beam with a big, hit routine. She had nearly flawless leaps and jumps and solids acro skills for a 14.6. Yao followed with another solid routine finished with a double pike dismount for a 14.4. Shang anchored with a stunning routine including a handspring, handspring, layout two feet and a triple twist dismount. She scored a 15.066 and China was back on track. 

 

Russia was on floor where Alla Sosnitskaya lead off with an energetic routine, opening with a big double layout, but fell on her double pike for a 12.9. Kharenkova performed a strong routine with an arabian double front to open for a 13.233. Mustafina took the floor and drew all eyes in with her commanding presence. She performed an arabian double front, a triple needle turn, and a 2 1/2 punch front full. She scored a 14.033. 

 

Romania moved to bars where Iordache lead off with a 14.466 for a smooth and strong routine. Great Britain was on floor with a solid rotation highlighted by Claudia Fragapane’s expressive routine that scored a 14.533.

 

Heading into the final rotation, USA had the lead with a 135.273 followed by China with a 131.788. After a solid vault rotation, Italy moved up to third with a 127.632, followed by Romania in fourth with a 127.063, and Russia in fifth with a 126.763. 

 

 

USA finished strong floor to secure the gold medal. Ross lead off with a gorgeous routine and stuck three out of four passes but surprisingly only scored a 13.966. Skinner was next where she performed her daring and exciting floor routine including her opening lay out double double. Biles finished with an incredible floor routine to secure USA’s gold medal. She stuck her double layout half out and nailed her other passes for a 15.375. 

 

China finished on floor as well. Tan opened with a 1 1/2 through to triple and finished with a double tuck, scoring a 13.9. Chen followed with a beautiful routine until her last pass where she fell on her double pike. She scored a 12.866. Shang anchored and opened with her impressive 1 1/2 through to triple to punch front. She went out of bounds on her full in but finished strong for a 14.033. China placed second all-around, despite their mistakes and falls. 

 

Russia finished on vault lead off by Tatiana Nabieva’s big Yurchenko double that was nearly stuck for a 14.933. Mustafina also had a great Yurchenko double and stuck the landing for a 15.133. Their vault performance secured their third place finish. 

 

Italy finished strong on bars, highlighted by Ferrari who performed a jeager and a full out dismount for a 14.066. However, the performance wasn’t enough and they finished fifth overall. 

 

Romania had a fall on beam from Anila Stanila but Andreea Munteanu came back with a huge 15.2. Iordache anchored and scored an impressive 15.5 but it wasn’t enough to earn a medal and they finished fourth.


Final Team Standings
1. USA - 179.280
2. China - 172.587
3. Russia - 171.462
4. Romania - 170.963
5. Italy - 169.023
6. Great Britain - 168.495
7. Australia - 165.988
8. Japan - 165.422


Related:
Full Results Here
Watch Videos Here
Women's Individual Event Finals Qualifiers
Results: Men's Team Finals