Liu Yang of China celebrates after Men's Rings Final of the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, Oct. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)
ANTWERP, Belgium, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's gymnasts Liu Yang secured the rings gold while Qiu Qiyuan won the uneven bars title on Saturday in Antwerp at the 52nd FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships.
Liu Yang of China competes during Men's Rings Final of the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, Oct. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)
The still rings competition carried on among three Olympic medalists. Tokyo Olympic champion, 29-year-old Liu Yang proved his strong comeback with quality by scoring 15.233 points to earn the gold ahead of Rio Olympic champion Eleftherios Petrounias of Greek and teammate You Hao, silver winner in Tokyo, took bronze.
It's been nine years since Liu last won the rings gold in 2014 Nanning World Championships. He had knee surgeries after the Tokyo Olympics. The gold proves his total recovery and ambition for Paris.
Qiu Qiyuan of China competes during Women's Uneven Bars Final of the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, Oct. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Qiu Huansong)
World Championships debutante Qiu won the title on uneven bars with 15.100, edging Algerian talent Kaylia Nemour who hit her high difficulty set for silver. Nemour became the first gymnast from an African nation to win a World Championships medal in artistic gymnastics. Shilese Jones of the United States earned her second consecutive world medal on uneven bars with bronze.
Qiu, a 16-year-old from China's southeast Fujian province who had never competed world events overseas before this year, was thrilled by her victory.
"The moment when I saw my score come up, I almost cried," Qiu said, "I had the feeling that I can win today. I just know it because I believe in my coaches and myself. It is just one step away from getting a gold medal at the Olympic Games. Hopefully, next time you see me, you see a perfect one." ■
