2023 World Championships: 17th place for Belgian team

On these first two days of octobre the women took the floor in Antwerp for their qualifications at the World Championships. The Belgian team, plagued by injuries, finished XXX and was never in contention for a team spot at the Paris Olympics. Nevertheless the girls gave it their all and can be proud of themselves. 

Youngster Erika Pinxten anchored the team on balance beam. She mounted with a free lay-out stepout and showed a nice side aerial to layout stepout. Her score of 12.700 was the highest for the team on beam. Fien Enghels showed a tripple wolf turn but had to count 2 falls on her free walkover and acrobatic series. Her score of 10.533 was dropped. Margaux Dandois had a nasty fall on her flick to layout step out but recovered well. She dismounted with a double piked summersault and scored 12.066. Jutta Verkest had a long wait before the start of her routine and fell on her side aerial. She scored 11.766. This was not the dream start the team had hoped for.

The girls recovered well on floor exercise. Jutta was first up and was rewarded with 12.500 for a routine that included a double tucked and picked summersault. Erika showed a high double pike and a two and a half twist. She went out of bounds on her double picked and scored 12.333. Fien showed great poise on floor exercise for a score of 12.600. Margaux also showed a well choreographed routine. She started with a front layout step out to double tucked summersault and scored 12.733. The highest score on floor for team Belgium. 

On vault Jutta, Erika and Maellyse all performed full twisting yourchenko's. They scored 13.033, 12.966 and 13.133. Margaux did a layout yourchenko that scored 11.800. On uneven bars Margaux did a great job, replacing Jutta. She finished her clean routine with a stuck double piked summersault that got Marjorie Heuls jumping of joy. She was rewarded with 12.866. Erika was too close to the bar on her pak salto and left the apparatus. She recovered well with a beautiful piked yaegher and full-in dismount. She scored 11.833. Maellyse had a good routine but fell on her dismount. (12.266) Fien had a few uncertainties throughout her routine but she made it a real fight and added 13.033 to the team total.

The total team score of 151.662 put them in the 17th place. The score reflects the lack of difficulty that Lisa Vaelen , Nina Derwael and Maellyse on full force can bring to the team. Team USA is in the lead after the qualifications.  Great-Britain is second and China third.

Erika Pinxten and Margaux Dandois did excellent on their World championships debute. Erika finished 53th with a total score of 49.832 and Margaux 61st with 49.465. 

Simone Biles is leading the all-around standings with 58.865. Shilese Jones is second and Jessica Gadirova third.

Team qualifications:

1. USA 171.395

2. Great Britain 166.130

3. China 165.6634. Brazil 164.297

5. Italy 162.230

6. the Netherlands 161.197

7. France 160.930

8. Japan 158.497

...

17. Belgium 151.662

All-around qualifications:

1. Simone BILES USA 58.865

2. Shilese JONES USA 56.932

3. Jessica GADIROVA GBR 56.766

4. Rebeca ANDRADE BRA 56.599

5. Eli Black CAN 55.065

6. Flavia SARAIVA BRA 54.699

7. Manila ESPOSITO ITA 54.698

8. Qiyuan QIU CHN 54.666

... 

53. Erika PINXTEN BEL 49.832

61. Margaux DANDOIS BEL 49.465

OLYMPIC QUALIFIERS

Teams:

USA

Great-Britain

Canada

China

Italy

the Netherlands

France

Japan

Australia

Romania

South-Korea

Countries that won a non-nominative ticket:

Germany

Mexico

Hungary

Individual qualifying gymnasts:

Kaylia Nemour (ALG)

Pauline Schäffer-Betz (GER)

Alexa Moreno (MEX)

Filipa Martins (POR)

Aleah Finnegan (PHI)

Lili Bettina Czifra (HUN)

Alba Petisco (ESP)

Anna Lashchevska (UKR)

Lena Bickel (SUI)

Hillary Heron (PAN)

Caitlin Rooskrantz (RSA)

Sona Artamonova (CZE)

Lihie Raz (ISR)

Lucija Hribar (SLO)