Spain started with a powerful image: the phoenix formed by the bodies of the tapes surrounding them on the tapestry. A perfect symbol for a renewed team that, after failing in the Olympic Games of Paris 2024, has resurfaced this season with three golds in the European and three others in the World Cup. The Rio de Janeiro World Cup was the stage to confirm its rebirth. It was not simple. One of the Spanish gymnasts turned with the tape hooked on the foot during the Fouettés, but they were recomposed. The film fell later, and also then reacted with Temple. The note in tapes (26,500) moved them away from gold. And yet Spain rose again. In the mixed exercise, fun, without fall and very strongly, overwhelmed: 28,250. That result returned them to the fight for the podium, dethroned China and allowed them to hang a bronze fighter. Japan was proclaimed world champion (55,550), followed by host Brazil (55,250) and Spain (54,750), on an open day and marked by the large number of errors. The Spanish team – integrated by, Andrea Corral, Marina Cortelles, Andrea Fernández, Lucía Muñoz and Salma Solaun – in addition, achieved the pass to the five -tape final and the mixed exercise on Sunday.
The day was extended more than expected and was detained for more than half an hour for a failure in the score system, which significantly reduced the note of many countries, including China and Spain. Not that of Brazil, which made it complicated from the beginning. With Italy outside the podium after errors and falls in its two routines, a consequence of a season marked by instability after the dismissal of their coach, and with Bulgaria also penalized for failures in the mixed exercise that they set their good result in tapes, the hosts were imposed with authority on the historical sets. They were cheered, with an audience that celebrated each movement without a moment of silence, to the rhythm of the samba. In the mixed exercise they signed a great start, with 27,850 points, and in the five tapes they managed to overcome a drop in the exchange, solving numerous moments that seemed invisible to the jury, which awarded them with an important note of 27,400.
Not even China, current Olympic champion, could with Brazil. The Chinese shone in the mixed exercise, with a very original and fast composition, while in the five tapes they competed to the maximum in a heart attack routine, raffling a possible fall between races and saves. Despite claiming and achieving the rectification of the note, they failed to overcome the Brazilians, and finally finished quarters with a score of 53,250.
Germany, Israel and Hungary – with an exercise in tribute to Brazilian football – also postulated to the podium. But above all Japan, which appeared by surprise to make history. With two huge performances, especially in the mixed exercise (28,350), he dethroned the hosts and took the gold, raising himself as the world champion for the first time.
The last day of the championship will be held this Sunday with the finals for devices, both individual and for sets. Spain will not have individual representation, after not achieving the classification or Alba Bautista or Lucía González, but its set will go back to the tapestry with the same claw as this Saturday, try to close the World Cup with a golden brooch.
