US gymnastics queen Simone Biles equalled the all-time record of 23 medals at world championships with the 17th world title of her career in the vault final on Saturday.
The 22-year-old needs only one more medal from her remaining two finals on Sunday in Stuttgart to overtake Belarusian male gymnast Vitaly Scherbo.
Biles, however, later missed the chance of a second medal of the day by finishing fifth in the uneven bars final behind winner Nina Derwael of Belgium, who retained the title she won in Doha last year.
Biles earlier took her third gold of the week on the vault with a winning score of 15.399 points ahead of US team-mate Jade Carey, who finished with silver, while Britain’s Ellie Downie claimed bronze.
The four-time Olympic champion had already won all-around gold and the team event this week to extend her record of most world gold medals.
Biles retained the vault title she won in Doha last year by excelling on her two attempts, completing two and a half twists on her second effort.
Less than a year before the Tokyo Olympics, she can potentially leave Stuttgart with five medals with the women’s beam and floor finals to come on Sunday.
