October 4th, 2023, will be a night to remember in gymnastics history. Simone Biles, Shilese Jones, Skye Blakely, Leanne Wong, Joscelyn Roberson, and Kayla DiCello, the stars of Team USA, displayed sheer camaraderie at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. At the end of the night, these bright faces were smiling from ear to ear, adorned with gold medals. This came after they clinched their seventh consecutive World Championship team title. But behind those radiant smiles was a story of struggle and heartbreak.

Before the competition could begin, fate had other plans for the youngest member of Team USA, Joscelyn Roberson. It was a heartbreaking moment as Roberson came up short on her Cheng vault, resulting in a painful fall. Her leg bore the brunt of this, rendering her unable to walk, let alone face the challenges of the night. In that agonizing moment, coach Laurent Landi, who had mentors both Roberson and the legendary Simone Biles at the World Champions Centre (WCC), carried her away, her dreams momentarily shattered. Forced out of the competition, Roberson, with tears in her eyes, revealed the painful turn of events.

Joscelyn Roberson after missing out on the gymnastics team finals

According to a post on X by Inside Gymnastics, “Joscelyn said she is great. She was feeling all of the emotions after Simone’s floor routine. Finding out Melanie won a bronze with her team was an incredible moment for WCC. “I was crying so many happy tears for all of us!””

These words reflect that, despite not being able to contribute, Robesrson was still happy for her teammates and also for Mélanie de Jesus dos Santos of France, who trains with Biles and Robesrson. Leanne Wong, stepping up to fill her teammate’s shoes, embraced the challenge, competing in the vault and floor—two apparatuses she hadn’t initially anticipated. Wong, alongside the leadership of the iconic Biles, led Team USA to an extraordinary victory.

Watch this story: “Beat You”: Gymnastics’ Emerging Sensation Challenges Simone Biles for the Lead.

Team USA surged ahead with Biles leading the charge

The United States claimed its seventh consecutive world title in the women’s team finals. The US team’s collective effort resulted in a total score of 167.729 points, narrowly edging Brazil at 165.530 and France at 164.064 points. Biles displayed her mastery, recording impressive scores in the vault, bars, and beam, setting the stage for a thrilling finale on the floor. With grace and confidence, Simone Biles delivered a near-flawless floor routine with a remarkable score of 15.166.

The competition still continues for the girls to secure individual medals as they are set to compete in the women’s individual all-around final, followed by the women’s vault and uneven bars finals on October 7, and the balance beam and floor exercise finals the next day, the 8th of October, which will also see the finale of the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship 2023.

Read more: After Defeating Shilese Jones, Rebeca Andrade Contends Against American Supremacy With Brazil’s Historic Win at World Artistic Gymnastics Championships 2023