Hashimoto Daiki of Japan and Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade are among the top contenders at the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships 2021 held in Kitakyushu, Japan from October 18- 24, after their Tokyo 2020 stint. Angelina Melnikova of the Russian Gymnastics Federation, and South Korea’s Shin Jea-hwan, are also strong competitors.

In the absence of United States’ Simone Biles, who won the women’s all-around title every year but one since 2013, Andrade, who took gold on women’s vault and silver in the all-around two months ago in Tokyo 2020, is one of the names in the mix for the all-around title.

With Tokyo gold medallist Sunisa Lee of the United States on a break from elite competition, Andrade, the silver medal winner, will look to change the colour of her medal. Before her performance at the Tokyo Games, the 22-year-old from Brazil overcame three knee injuries in six years and is very close to rewriting history as no Brazilian woman has ever won the World all-around title.

Angelina Melnikova, the bronze medallist at Tokyo 2020 in the all-around event and finished third at last worlds, along with her compatriot, Vladislava Urazova, who was placed fourth in the all-around event at Tokyo Olympics will be strong competitors for the all-around title.

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Andrade, the Olympic gold medallist on vault, will be the favourite for gold once again in the apparatus finals, while Great Britain’s Becky Downie, a 2008 and 2016 Olympian, will enter as the reigning world uneven bars silver medallist.

On the balance beam, Wei Xuoyuan and Li of China could replicate their Tokyo 1-2 finish at Tokyo 2020. The women’s floor final should be a battle between Tokyo bronze medallists Melnikova and Murakami.

Hashimoto Daiki of Japan will be one of the favourites in the men’s all-around event at the Artistic Gymnastics World C’ships 2021.   –  Getty Images

In the men’s competition, reigning World all-around champion Nikita Nagornyy would not be taking part, new all-around champions will be crowned. Hashimoto, who became the youngest man ever to win the Olympic all-around title at Tokyo, will look to add another major title.

His compatriot, Uchimura Kohei, who has won six consecutive world all-around titles between 2009 and 2015 and Olympic all-around titles from London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016 will seek to win his 11th World championship gold.

Others to watch include- Yulo, Colak and Nory, the reigning world champions on the floor exercise, still rings and high bar, respectively. 2020 Olympic vault champion, Shin Jea-hwan and 2012 Olympic vaulting champion, and his compatriot Yang Hakseon are the other two Olympic gold medallists in the field.

(With inputs from FIG and Olympics website)