Russia’s Angelina Melnikova took advantage of Simone Biles’s absence to win the women’s all-around world gymnastics title on Thursday, saying she was happy to be “able to compete for first place.” 

Melnikova took gold ahead of American teenagers Leanne Wong and Kayla DiCello, after Biles and a host of other top gymnasts decided not to compete in Kitakyushu in western Japan.