What to expect on the last day of apparatus finals

The final day of the competition has arrived. Five more titles are up for grabs today, and anything can happen on the day, so be prepared for surprises. Here’s what to expect on each event:

Men’s vault

The one to watch is the reigning world champion, Artur Davtyan of Armenia. He is known for great execution and stuck landings. Joining him in this final are two Ukrainians, including the experienced 30-year-old Igor Radivilov. There are also two gymnasts each from the USA and Great Britain as well as one from Bulgaria. Of these, Jake Jarman (GBR) has challenged for medals recently and is known for his multiple twisting skills.

Women’s balance beam

This will be a battle between the dynamic Simone Biles (USA), the precise Chinese gymnasts Zhou Yaqin and Zhang Qingying, and the elegant German, Pauline Schaefer-Betz. Such contrasting styles will give this final an interesting twist. But if any of the leading contenders suffer a wobble or fall, anyone can challenge for a medal.

Men’s parallel bars

The standout names in this final are Lukas Dauser of Germany and Illia Kovtun of Ukraine, both of whom have won multiple medals on this apparatus in the past. Dauser is the current world silver medallist and Kovtun will be inspired by capturing the all-around silver medal three nights ago. However they will face strong competition from Japan’s Sugimoto Kaito and USA’s Yul Moldauer.

Women’s floor exercise

The women’s competition wraps up with the supremely entertaining floor routines. Once again, the all-around champion Simone Biles (USA) is expected to dominate with her amazing tumbling, but 2022 all-around silver medallist Rebeca Andrade (BRA) will be in the medal hunt. This is also the only women’s final featuring a Romanian gymnast, Sabrina Maneca-Voinea - can she follow in her famous mother’s footsteps, Camelia Voinea, and take a medal here?

Men’s horizontal bar

The world championships conclude with the most thrilling apparatus of all. Gymnasts fly above and around the bar executing a daring display of somersaults and swings. Since his emergence at the Olympic Games in 2021, this event has been dominated by Hashimoto Daiki of Japan. He qualified in first place as the only gymnast to break into the 15 point scoring range, and is in a class of his own. Can anyone catch him in this final? It will be exciting to find out!