Angelina Melnikova Wins World All-Around Gymnastics Title Over Leanne Wong

Bassyonni

ago 6 hours

Angelina Melnikova Wins World All-Around Gymnastics Title Over Leanne Wong

Angelina Melnikova has clinched the World All-Around Gymnastics title, edging out American gymnast Leanne Wong by a mere tenth of a point. This victory marks Melnikova’s return to global competition after a hiatus following the 2021 World Championships.

Angelina Melnikova’s Remarkable Performance

Competing as a neutral athlete from Russia, Melnikova scored 55.066 overall. She demonstrated resilience, especially during the final rotation, where she secured a score of 13.466 on the floor exercise, significantly improving from her qualifying round. This last-minute push allowed her to reclaim the lead despite starting in third place.

Key Highlights of the Competition

Melnikova initially sat 0.133 points behind first place entering the final rotation.
She received a crucial penalty of only one-tenth for stepping out of bounds on floor exercise.
Melnikova previously won the all-around title in 2021, defeating Wong by 0.292 points.

The winning margin this year is noteworthy as it is the closest since Morgan Hurd’s victory in 2017, which also came down to a tenth of a point.

Leanne Wong’s Strong Finish

Leanne Wong, aged 22, made a stunning final effort to finish with a score of 54.966, securing the silver medal. Starting in fourth place, she executed a challenging Cheng vault, which propelled her past two competitors—Zhang Qingying from China and Kaylia Nemour from Algeria—who respectively placed third and fourth.

History of American Podium Success

This podium finish contributes to an impressive streak, as a U.S. woman has consistently achieved a place on the all-around podium at every Olympics and World Championships since 2003.

Wong’s performance comes during a particularly competitive season, with several top American gymnasts—Simone Biles, Suni Lee, and Hezly Rivera—absent from the circuit. Wong’s determination in choosing the more difficult Cheng vault reflects her competitive spirit and strategy.