China’s gymnast Zhang Qingying delivered a dominant performance in the balance beam final at the 53rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships on Saturday (Oct. 25).

Zhang claimed gold after collecting 15.166 points, finishing well ahead of silver medalist Kaylia Nemour and bronze medalist Aiko Sugihara.

The 18-year-old gymnast admitted she was quite nervous before the final, as she was the only Chinese gymnast left in the event after her compatriot Zhou Yaqin failed to qualify.

“In this event, I was the only representative from China, so there was some pressure on me,” Zhang said.

Zhang had already dominated the balance beam since the qualification round.

She ranked first, ahead of Brazil’s Flavia Saraiva in second place and Romania’s Sabrina Maneca-Voinea in third.

However, Zhang said, “I didn’t think about whether I could get a [gold] medal or not.”

This gold is Zhang’s second medal at the 53rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, following her bronze in the all-around final.

So, what is Zhang’s next target?

“I haven’t thought about it yet. I see so many talented young Chinese gymnasts. In the next three years, it’s not certain that I will be selected for the team,” she said.

“There is a lot of competition in China.”

Silver medalist Kaylia Nemour said she was happy, as she almost missed qualifying for the balance beam final.

In the qualification round, the Algerian gymnast finished in eighth place — the last spot that secured a place in the final.

“I am very happy with what I was able to do today. More than the score, more than the medal,” Nemour said.

“The medal is just at the end, but I really felt like I was floating because earlier I almost didn’t make it to the final.”

The balance beam is not Nemour’s main apparatus. She won gold medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics and the world championships on the uneven bars.

How did Nemour see this medal from an apparatus that is not her specialty?

“It feels different from a medal on bars or any other medal because it’s one I’ve never had before,” Nemour said.

“Maybe not many people believed I could do well on the balance beam, because people always associate me with the uneven bars. Sometimes they forget that I can perform well on other apparatus too.”