Fred Richard Wins Floor Gold and U.S. Women Add Vault Silver and Bronze at Gymnastics Worlds
Fred Richard scored 14.633 to win the men's floor title in Rotterdam on Saturday, while Claire Pease took vault silver and Skye Blakely took vault bronze one day after Blakely won the all-around gold.
In Rotterdam, Netherlands, Fred Richard won the men’s floor exercise gold medal at the world gymnastics championships on Saturday, and the American women added two more medals on vault on the first day of event finals.
Richard scored 14.633, edging defending champion Jake Jarman of Britain by 0.033. Artem Dolgopyat finished third, 0.167 behind Richard. Richard is the first American to win a floor title since Paul Hamm in 2003, according to USA Today.
Vault medals for Pease and Blakely
On vault, Rebeca Andrade of Brazil won her third world title with a combined 14.466. Claire Pease took silver at 14.233, and Skye Blakely took bronze at 14.166, one day after Blakely won the all-around gold. Both Americans also won team silver earlier in the championships.
Pease scored 14.366 on her first vault, a Cheng, and 13.700 on her second, a double-twisting Yurchenko. Blakely scored 14.1 on her first vault, a double-twisting Yurchenko, and 13.833 on her second, a Lopez.
Richard’s gold is the second gold of these championships for the Americans, after Blakely’s all-around title.
More finals to come
Blakely is also in the uneven bars final later on Saturday, and she will compete on balance beam on the second day of finals. Pease will compete on floor exercise on day two. Simone Biles watched from the stands at the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam.
Reporting based on coverage by USA Today.
