With immense determination, Team USA’s women gymnasts claimed the silver medal today at the 2026 World Gymnastics Championships held in Rotterdam. Their impressive score of 165.531 secured their spot at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, ranking them among the top three teams. China took home the gold with a score of 165.764, while Japan earned the bronze with 164.063.
The competition between China and the U.S. was intense throughout the evening, culminating in China’s standout performance on the balance beam during the third rotation, where they achieved a score of 43.366. This included a remarkable routine from Zhang Qingying, the 2025 World beam champion, who scored 15.033. This victory marks China’s first title at the World Championships since 2006.
Both China and Japan showcased their best performances to date, while Team USA was tantalizingly close to clinching gold, with several areas identified for improvement. Chellsie Memmel, the Technical Lead for USA Gymnastics, highlighted aspects such as execution scores, artistry, and floor landings that the team will focus on as they prepare for LA28.
“It gives us a lot of motivation. We know where we want to be,” said Memmel. “It truly means the world to me,”
Remarkably, Claire Pease achieved the highest overall scores on three of the four apparatus among all eight competing teams, recording three scores of 14 or higher on both vault and uneven bars. Pease, along with Skye Blakely, is set to compete in the All-Around competition on Friday.
Team USA’s Journey to the Finals
During qualifications at the 2026 World Championships, Team USA’s women finished second with a score of 164.529, trailing China, which scored 164.996, and ahead of the Russian Federation, which scored 163.662. The team displayed remarkable consistency on the first day of qualifications, completing all 18 of their routines, including second vaults from Claire Pease and Skye Blakely. Three of the five team members made their World Championships debuts, namely Charleigh Bullock, Claire Pease, and Reese Esponda. They were joined by Skye Blakely, competing in her fourth consecutive World Championships, and Dulcy Caylor, who also participated in the 2025 World Championships. Team USA is aiming for their eighth consecutive World Championship gold and will rely on their team synergy to propel them to the podium.
Individual Highlights and Performances
Skye Blakely entered the competition as the seasoned member of the U.S. team. At 21 years old, she has won two world team titles in 2022 and 2023, yet she has been striving for individual success at the World Championships. In 2022, Blakely finished fifth in the beam final and placed fourth on bars in 2025. This time, she had the opportunity to compete in all four events at a World Championships for the first time. Not only did she compete, but she excelled, qualifying second for the All-Around final and also securing spots in the vault, bars, and beam finals. This moment was a dream for the Florida junior, who was brought to tears after successfully executing her beam dismount in the final rotation. She embraced coach Owen Field, who consistently encourages her to remain calm under pressure. Her younger teammates, who look up to her, showered her with hugs.
“I’m not going to cry, I already cried….. but it just means the world to me, knowing how much I’ve been through: two major surgeries, a lot of hardships, ups and downs. It just makes me so grateful that the Lord has given me this opportunity to just even be here at all, to be able to come out here and compete All-Around and to do as well as I did. I’m just full of joy and so thankful for my support system and everybody who’s encouraged me and pushed me, even on the days I didn’t believe in myself.” she said about making the All-Around final. “I was a little bit upset about it just because that was a big connection pass for me,”
Fans can expect to see Blakely competing in the All-Around, vault, bars, and beam finals.
Rising Stars of Team USA
Claire Pease, Reese Esponda, and Charleigh Bullock made their World Championships debuts, demonstrating why they are among the best in the U.S. and the world. Pease competed in all four events, qualifying seventh for the All-Around final, and also secured her place in the vault and floor finals. She showcased the highest difficulty levels on both vault and floor, but a slightly anxious beam routine affected her All-Around standings. Nonetheless, she will enter the All-Around final as one of the favorites and is expected to participate in all four events during the team final, which will keep the 17-year-old busy in Rotterdam.
Bullock has emerged as a standout star in 2026, making her senior debut this year and establishing herself as a contender on the road to LA28. A minor error on her signature event, the uneven bars, resulted in a score lower than anticipated, but she is already eager to return to the bars and refine her skills. When not competing, Bullock was seen cheering enthusiastically for her teammates, displaying more nervousness for their routines than her own. She was the first to hug her teammates after their performances, showcasing her supportive nature both on and off the competition floor.
Esponda arrived in Rotterdam as a favorite for the floor exercise gold, and she proved her worth by qualifying first in that event, scoring 13.633. Earlier in the championships, there was judging controversy regarding her intricate barani + double tuck combination, which would not receive credit for front tumbling. This required Esponda to adjust her routine, lowering her D-score from 6.2 to 6.0. However, the 17-year-old handled the situation with grace, modifying her routine within a day and preparing for competition.
“I was also planning on adding the layout step out for this competition, but I move forward and it is what it is.” she stated after qualifications. “She is the greatest of all time. She’s telling me I’m good enough. I think I should trust myself and know that I am good enough,”
Esponda trains at the World Champions Centre in Texas, the home of Olympic icon Simone Biles, and has received numerous messages of encouragement from Biles during her time in Rotterdam.
“I don’t even know if back then, I thought I would still be in the sport,” Esponda mentioned.
Fans should keep an eye out for Esponda’s impressive floor routines during the team and floor finals.
Overcoming Challenges
Just 24 hours before the qualifying round, an unexpected injury forced Olympic gold medalist Hezly Rivera to withdraw from the competition. Dulcy Caylor, who was initially brought to Rotterdam as a traveling alternate, stepped in to compete following Rivera’s exit. Caylor’s journey in 2026 exemplifies perseverance; she endured two stress fractures in her lower back at the start of the season, which kept her from training. “I felt really grateful to be out there,” Caylor reflected after qualifications. She had no expectations for her 2026 season, and competing at her second World Championships was beyond her imagination. Caylor performed on the beam, earning the second-highest score for the U.S. with a 13.300.
“It’s incredible that I get to be out here again. I definitely learned that I can’t do it alone. I think I’m very independent in the way that I don’t want help. My parents have always been there for me, and learning to ask for help more, and knowing that I can use everything that they’ve given because they’ve given me everything I could ever ask for. I’m mentally a little bit different, and I have a little different outlook now.” she said. “I’m just really grateful to be here either way and support my team, and you probably saw me on the floor carrying everyone’s bags. I’m really just here, and they can rely on me for whatever they need. So I’m just trying to be the biggest support for them,”
Rivera, who is seen as Team USA’s biggest cheerleader on the competition floor, expressed her disappointment about the championships but acknowledged the positives from the experience. Despite not competing, Rivera maintained her trademark smile while supporting her teammates.
“Stay in the moment and enjoy every second,” Rivera remarked.
Regardless of the outcome in Wednesday’s team final, Team USA has shown they are resilient and united in Rotterdam, ready to embrace the challenge on gymnastics’ grandest stage.
“Stay in the moment and enjoy every second,” is the advice Biles shares with Esponda, which resonates throughout the U.S. team.
Fans can watch Team USA in the 2026 World Championships Team Final on Wednesday at 1:30 PM ET on Peacock.
