Going into competition in the Chinese city of Nanning as defending team champions, there was plenty at stake for the US.

And with reigning world all-around champion Biles and London 2012 team gold medallist Kyla Ross among their number, they packed a real punch.

The team scored a huge 235.038 total, pushing Russia into second with 228.135 and The Netherlands third with 214.662 at the midway point.

The top eight teams qualify for the final.

Biles is also top of the pile in the all-around, scoring 59.599 in the Guangxi Sports Centre Gymnasium.

Russian Aliya Mustafina lies second with 58.874.

Ashton Locklear was able to break her team mate's stranglehold on qualification, by topping the uneven bars standings ©Getty Images



As if that was not enough, Biles also tops qualification in the vault, averaging 15.450, the beam with 15.133 and the floor with 15.366.

Her 16-year-old team mate Ashton Locklear heads the field on uneven bars with 15.233 points.

Women's qualification concludes tomorrow, with teams including Romania, China and Great Britain entering the fray.