World Gymnastics Championships women's team final results, highlights: USA wins record seventh straight gold medal

What. A. Night.

History was made in Antwerp on Wednesday. Simone Biles, in her first international competition since withdrawing from the Olympics two years ago, led the U.S. to a record seven-straight team titles at the World Championship. 

China, who was solidly in second place after the third rotation, fell off the podium after huge performances from Brazil and France. The Brazilians, who are queens of the vault, powered from fourth to second to earn its first-ever team medal at Worlds. France outlasted China while on beam to win bronze, its first Worlds' team medal in 75 years. It was a stunning final rotation all around, quite a statement before the Paris Olympics.

It was a bumpy start for the Americans, who had to make a last-minute lineup change before the vault. Joscelyn Roberson sustained a foot injury during warmups, leaving it to Leanne Wong to take her place on vault and floor. The U.S. was in second after rotation one on the vault, but after three beautiful bar routines, the team moved into first place.

Then came beam. Wong fell during her lead-off beam routine, putting the pressure on her successors Biles and Shilese Jones. Despite the low score, the Americans still led going into the final rotation thanks to small deductions in other teams' routines. Biles needed less than a 13.0 to solidify gold after hit routines from Wong and Jones. She called game, scoring a massive 15.166 to close the championship out.

Biles is the first gymnast in the world to win five team titles at the World Championships. With 33 medals now between Worlds and the Olympics, she is tied as the most decorated gymnast in history.

MORE: How to watch Simone Biles at World Gymnastics Championship

She has a chance to hold the record all by herself when she competed in the all-around and event finals later this week.

MORE: Watch select World Gymnastics Championships broadcasts live on Fubo (free trial)

The Sporting News tracked Team USA in the women's team finals at the World Gymnastics Championships.

World Gymnastics Championships results, highlights from women's team finals 

(All times Eastern)

3:46 p.m. – The Americans take their seventh straight team title at Worlds, the first men's or women's team to do so. Brazil followed behind with the silver medal while France took bronze.

Here's how teams finished:

3:42 p.m. – GOLDEN! Biles puts up a jaw-dropping floor routine to end the competition. With a 15.166, it earns the US the gold. 

SIMONE. BILES.

With this final routine to secure the gold medal, the U.S. became the only team in history to win 7 consecutive world team titles. #Antwerp2023 pic.twitter.com/DCXyvRbHHY

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) October 4, 2023

3:30 p.m. – Jones takes a step out on her second pass, a front full through to a double tuck. Even with the deduction she earns a 13.566.  Biles needs at least a 13.0 to officially take gold.

3:21 p.m. – Wong takes the place of Roberson on floor, too, putting up a 13.166. She can do better, but given the pressure of substitution and after a fall on beam, it's a good finish for her.

3:13 p.m. – One more to go:

3:04 p.m. – Who do you call when you need a hit routine to anchor the beam? Biles, of course. Despite a slight wobble on her mount, she was just what the Americans needed heading into the final rotation. She earns a 14.300.

pic.twitter.com/Ch8MNPt0oM https://t.co/LioGKd0nHe

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) October 4, 2023

2:55 p.m. – Jones gets the US back on track. Not her best performance ever, as she has a leg lift on her back handspring back handspring layout, but a decent one nonetheless. She gets a 13.600.

2:45 – Wong is first to perform on beam but slips off on her side aerial. It's an 11.7 and an unfortunate mistake for the American, so hits from Biles and Jones are more important than ever.

2:44 p.m. – Scores halfway through:

2:32 p.m. – Shi can fly! The anchor for a reason, Jones finishes a well-scoring bars rotation for the US with a 14.633.

Shi stays shining ✨

That’s a 14.633 in Team Finals!pic.twitter.com/LAnbazwVPh

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) October 4, 2023

2:26 p.m. – Biles is up next. Traditionally her worst event (if that even exists) and she still sticks her landing to post a 14.466.

2:18 p.m. – What a lead-off for Skye Blakely on the bars! She has a slight step on her landing, but earns a solid 14.166.

A solid performance by Skye Blakely on the uneven bars. ✨ @skyeblakely_

The U.S. is currently in first in the women's team final.#Antwerp2023 | 📺 @peacock pic.twitter.com/vxVEb6KBYw

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) October 4, 2023

2:11 p.m. – Here's how we stand after the first rotation:

1:54 p.m. – Biles doesn't pull out her "Biles II" and instead does a Cheng to maximize execution points. She posts a 14.800.

pic.twitter.com/9sIeL4whoQ https://t.co/XeDHnKEcjv

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) October 4, 2023

1:52 p.m. – Wong follows up with a 14.066. Not bad for a last-minute substitution.

1:45 p.m. – Shilese Jones leads off with Yurchenko double-full. She takes a hop back, and it earns a 14.100. 

1:40 p.m. – That's going to hurt the Americans. Joscelyn Roberson, the 17-year old looking to make her Worlds debut, was carried out of the arena with a slight injury after warmups. Leanne Wong will step in for her team on vault. If there's anyone that can fill in suddenly, it's Wong.

1:30 p.m. – And we're off! The US will begin its rotation on vault alongside Great Britain. The Americans will then continue to bars, beam then floor.

1:00 p.m. – For those used to NCAA scoring, elite gymnastics scoring is much different. It values difficulty over perfection, making each individual skill and routine worth different amounts of points. There are two components of scoring routines – "D" score (difficulty) and "E" score (execution). The D score encompasses skill difficulty and connection value, while the E skill begins at 10 and reduces with penalties. Penalties include flexed feet, bent legs, wobbles, extra steps or hops, as well as other minuscule deductions. A fall costs an entire point and this time, no scores are dropped. Every gymnast must hit their routine.

12:45 p.m. – We're just about 45 minutes away from the team finals competition. The USA has already announced its rotation lineups.

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VT ➡️ Jones, Roberson, Biles
UB ➡️ Blakely, Biles, Jones
BB ➡️ Wong, Jones, Biles
FX ➡️ Roberson, Jones, Biles

See you tomorrow at 1:30pm ET for Women’s Team Finals at the World Championships!@gkelite | @TeamUSA | @NBCOlympics pic.twitter.com/vGQxwjJdzR

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) October 3, 2023

How to watch World Gymnastics Championships women's team finals

• Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
• TV channel: CNBC, NBC
• Live stream: Peacock, Fubo

The World Gymnastics Championships are primarily a streaming event. The women's team final and women's all-around finals will be re-aired on CNBC and NBC days after the event takes place. Fubo, which offers a free trial, will air the portions of the competition that air on CNBC and NBC.

To watch the championship live, Peacock will be streaming all events.

World Gymnastics Championships schedule 2023

Here's what to know about watching the events at the World Gymnastics Championships.

*Encore presentation