Imperious Andrade powers to top of all-around standings at World Artistic Gymnastics Championships

By James Reid

Rebeca Andrade showed exactly why she is one of the biggest stars of the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships by powering to the top of the all-around standings.

The Brazilian looked imperious out on the floor in Liverpool, with an error on one of her vaults the only blot on her otherwise outstanding copybook.

The Olympic all-around silver medallist posted a score of 14.200 on floor, the joint-highest score with compatriot Flavia Saraiva, and scored 14.666 on uneven bars to sit third.

A score of 13.400 on beam, which has proved troublesome at these Championships, should also secure Andrade another final.

Brazil is all but assured of a place in the team final as only USA bettered their score of 163.563, with both China and Japan sitting behind the Pan-American champions.

The Brazilian team of Andrade, Saraiva, Carolyne Pedro, Lorrane Oliveira, and Julia Soares delighted the crowd with their performances but coach Francisco Porath insisted there was still work to do.

He said: “The part that we’re going to work on more are the emotions and feelings for the final.

“We are going to see what apparatus we’re going to start on and then control the girls better.

“We did a good warm-up today, we started on beam which is a difficult apparatus to start the competition on.

“Flavia had a fall on beam but still did a good routine and contributed to the team with her score.”

“We have new girls competing on the team,” added Iryna Ilyashenko. “She [Soares] started on beam and didn’t fall off but had some mistakes, so we can really work on those details for the team finals.”

Andrade arrived in Liverpool eyeing a remarkable tilt at six medals but those hopes were surprisingly dashed on the vault.

The reigning Olympic and world vault champion could muster only 13.266 across her two vaults after a hand slipped on one of her attempts.

The 23-year-old’s opening vault was the highest scoring of the Championships so far with 15.066 but 11.466 second time around means she will not have the chance to defend her world title, with 2019 silver medallist Jade Carey topping the standings.

“She [Andrade] did an excellent first vault but on the second fault she felt her hand flop on the table,” said Porath.

“She could feel it was a mistake and saved the vault which was most important.”

The World Gymnastics Championships Liverpool 2022 will be one of the largest international sporting events ever to be held in the city. Over 500 gymnasts from more than 70 countries will compete at the M&S Bank Arena from 29 October to 6 November 2022. Tickets are available at www.2022worldgymnastics.com/tickets.