Sloan recovers from fall to keep up with all-around pace at Worlds

By Chris Cottrell and Kathryn Catney, Sportsbeat, at the O2 Arena

 AMERICAN Bridget Sloan's quest for world domination is still on after she recovered from an early fall on the beam to place third overall at the World Gymnastics Championships.

 TITLE CONTENDER: American all-around champion Bridget Sloan bounces back from an early fall to set the third best all-around qualifying score so far

The 17-year old national all-around champion finally scored 13.325 for her beam routine before recovering to set the second highest vault score of 14.55 as well as a 14.6 for the asymmetric bars and 13.6 on the floor.

With just two sessions remaining, the youngster's overall tally of 56.075 is almost guaranteed to remain in the top 24 and book Sloan's place in Friday's all-around women's final.

And the American was adamant her confident recovery will give her an advantage over her rivals when push comes to shove on Friday.

"Thank goodness there are four events!" said Sloan. "I was really excited but had a bad start with the fall.

"But I'm really proud of how I managed to pull through that and do so well on the other three apparatus.

"To place third and come through like that is really pleasing and gives me a little bit more confidence in myself going into the final.

"It should be really good on Friday and I'm just going to be as aggressive as possible for the final."

Meanwhile Sloan's American teammates Kayla Williams and Ivana Hong also impressed as they set competitive scores on their preferred apparatus.

American beam champion Hong set the leading score on the beam of 14.4 while Williams looks the one to beat in the vault after a score of 14.825.

And Williams, who romped to vault gold at the American national championships in August insisted her impressive score was down to a die-hard attitude.

"My first vault didn't go to plan but I was determined to improve for the second and I'm really happy with how it turned out," said Williams.

"I'm really looking forward to the finals now - I'm going to go out and be as aggressive as I can and hit the vault like it's the last one of my life.

"When you compete you go through every emotion possible and when the crowd starts cheering it gives you that extra little boost."

Elsewhere, Olympic asymmetric bars champion Kexin He looked in ominous form in qualifying as American rival Nastia Liukin looked on from the stands.

The 17-year old is only competing in her favourite apparatus - the asymmetric bars - in London but looked the ultimate professional as she completed a mesmerising routine to score 15.975 and lead the competition with two sessions remaining.