MONTREAL: US teenager Morgan Hurd snatched a surprise women’s all-around gold on Friday at the injury-hit World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
The bespectacled 16-year-old, who was born in China and adopted as a toddler, followed in the footsteps of celebrated compatriot Simone Biles — ably shouldering US hopes after national champion Ragan Smith withdrew minutes before the competition with an ankle injury.
It was a stunning World Championships debut for Hurd, who was sixth at the P&G Championships in August but secured a place on the four-woman US team for the championships at a selection camp in September.
“It’s crazy that I was even competing here,” Hurd said. “To think that I won is just the most surreal feeling in the world.”
Hurd won with a total of 55.232 points, denying home hope Ellie Black of Canada who took silver with 55.132.
Russian Elena Eremina was third with 54.799, with Mai Murukami narrowly missing the podium with a total of 54.699.
Hurd sealed the win with her final routine, the floor exercise, erasing a deficit of two-tenths of a point to surpass Black.
It was a disappointment to fans at the 1976 Olympic venue, but Black became the first Canadian gymnast, man or woman, to win an Olympic or world all-around medal.
Hurd continued a long streak of success for US women in all-around competition.
An American woman has won every Olympic or world all-around title since 2011.
Hurd opened the competition by scoring 14.533 on the vault, which put her in fourth.
She was tied with Black for the lead after the second rotation, earning 14.300 on the parallel bars.
A 12.666 on balance beam left her in second going into the final rotation, and her floor exercise score of 13.733 — despite stepping out of bounds on her third tumbling run — was enough.
The competition lacked the top four finishers form last year’s Rio Games.
Two competitors touted as favorites going into the week were also absent — Smith and Romania’s Laris Iordache.
Smith left on crutches after hurting herself warming up for her opening vault.
USA Gymnastics said she was taken to hospital for X-rays.
Iordache, a two-time world all-around medalist, tore an Achilles tendon warming up for floor exercise before qualifying on Wednesday — three days after Japanese superstar Kohei Uchimura pulled out of the men’s qualifying with torn ligament in his ankle.
In Uchimura’s absence, China’s Xiao Ruoteng won the men’s all-around title on Thursday.
Men and women will be back on Saturday and Sunday for individual apparatus finals.
Gymnastics: Hurd captures surprise all-around World gold
Gymnastics: Hurd captures surprise all-around World gold
Saudi Pro League warns Al-Nassr’s Ronaldo no player is bigger than club
- Ronaldo did not take part in the club’s SPL win at Al-Riyadh on Monday and is now set to miss Friday night’s clash against Al-Ittihad
RIYADH: The Saudi Pro League has warned Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo that “no individual – however significant – determines decisions beyond their own club” amid doubts over his future at Al–Nassr.
Ronaldo, reportedly unhappy at the club’s lack of transfer activity, did not take part in the club’s Saud Pro League win at Al-Riyadh on Monday and is now set to miss Friday night’s clash against Al-Ittihad.
In a statement issued to BBC Sport, a Saudi Pro League spokesperson said: “The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: every club operates independently under the same rules.
“Clubs have their own boards, their own executives and their own football leadership. Decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy sit with those clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. That framework applies equally across the league.”
The 40-year Ronaldo missed Al-Nassr’s match against Al-Riyadh on Monday amid reports he is on strike over the club’s lack of transfer activity.
Portuguese media outlet A Bola reported that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was unhappy that Al-Nassr, which is backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, has not strengthened its squad as it challenges for the league title.
“Cristiano has been fully engaged with Al–Nassr since his arrival and has played an important role in the club’s growth and ambition,” the Saudi Pro League spokesperson said.
“Like any elite competitor, he wants to win.
“But no individual – however significant – determines decisions beyond their own club.
“Recent transfer activity demonstrates that independence clearly. One club strengthened in a particular way. Another chose a different approach. Those were club decisions, taken within approved financial parameters.”
The Saudi Pro League spokesperson added: “The competitiveness of the league speaks for itself. With only a few points separating the top four, the title race is very much alive. That level of balance reflects a system that is working as intended.
“The focus remains on football – on the pitch, where it belongs – and on maintaining a credible, competitive competition for players and fans.”
