US superstar Simone Biles continued her winning return from a two-year break by claiming a 22nd world title with gold on the balance beam at the world gymnastics championships on Sunday.

Biles, 26, followed her gold in the team and all-around events during the week, as she sealed the beam title for a fourth time with a dazzling routine which earned her 14.800 points.

China's Zhou Yaqin, 17, scored 14.700 to take silver with Brazil's Rebeca Andrade, who beat Biles to gold in the vault on Saturday when the American fell, claiming bronze with 14.300. 

In a high-level final, Biles performed her acrobatics without moving a millimetre on the apparatus. 

The title was decided by a tiny margin, as teenager Zhou also impressed. Gold only escaped the Chinese gymnast because she took a step back at her exit of the beam and was penalised a tenth of a point. 

For Biles it was a 29th world medal. The Texan could add another later on Sunday when she competes in the floor routine on the final day of competition in Antwerp.

Biles has made an impressive return to competition two years after her "twisties", a temporary mental block whereby gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air, ended her Tokyo Olympics.

She then stopped training completely and only returned to competition last August in the United States.

dif/ea/pb