Stuttgart (Germany) (AFP)

The record hunt is open for Simone Biles: the undisputed queen of gymnastics has led the Americans to a fifth consecutive world team crown on Tuesday in Stuttgart, Germany, for the first of her six finals of the competition, unless ten months of the Olympics 2020.

With a total of 172.330, Biles and her team-mates beat the Russians by almost ten points (166.529) and the Italians (164.796).

Les Bleues, led by triple European champion Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos (19 years old) and who aspired to get on the podium, rank fifth, as a year ago (163,628).

As early as the qualifications, Biles (22) had illuminated the German apparatus with his unmatched talent by performing two unconventional and ultra-complex acrobatics now named after him, a double somersault with a triple twist on the ground, and a double back flip with a double spin exiting to the beam.

The small Texan bomb did not derogate from its standards of excellence for its first final of the week, being particularly sparkling at the entry jump of competition (15,400), then on the ground (15,333), "its best variation from the competition until then, "in closing.

The Americans are now reigning in the team competition without interruption since 2011.

"Year after year, it's getting stronger because we're emphasizing our footprint, it's just surreal," says Biles.

- Two falls for the Blue -

"Sometimes I would like there to be more competition, but at the same time, I still have to get on the carpet and do what I came for. I'm always nervous from time to time, "she admits.

This American coronation brings to fifteen the record number of world crowns of Biles, and to 21 his total of world medals, to two units of the record established by the Belarussian legend Vitaly Scherbo (23).

If she repeats "never to (think)," the four-time Olympic champion (all-around, floor, jump and team) will have multiple chances to equal and even surpass her: she is qualified for all five individual finals, the general competition on Thursday, then the floor, vault, beam and uneven bars on Saturday and Sunday.

A year ago in Doha, she had won six medals out of six possible at the Worlds-2018.

Reinforced by very convincing qualifications finished in fourth position (166,712), the Bleues, represented, besides De Jesus Dos Santos, by Marine Boyer, Lorette Charpy, Aline Friess and Claire Pontlevoy, did not hide their deep disappointment not to have known to find a place on a podium within their reach.

The French gymnasts paid two expensive falls early in the contest, the first at the bars (Pontlevoy), the second at the beam (DJDS).

That did not stop them, however, from already thinking about getting their revenge on the Olympic scene next summer in Tokyo.

© 2019 AFP