During the 2026 World Gymnastics Championships held in Rotterdam, Skye Blakely showcased her remarkable talent and unwavering determination, proving that her potential knows no bounds. The achievements in 2026 signal a bright future ahead for Blakely, who has truly earned her accolades.
As she led Team USA through both the Qualifications and Team Finals, Blakely’s elation was palpable at every moment—from her performances to her appearances at press conferences. A particularly poignant moment occurred when she stood draped in the Stars and Stripes, tears of joy streaming down her face as she saluted the crowd in Ahoy Arena, solidifying her status as the new star of gymnastics. Her coach, Owen Field, aptly captured her spirit by saying, “You’re Skye Blakely, baby.” when asked what he had told her before her final routine in the All-Around competition.
Having faced significant challenges since the 2021 Olympic Trials—including two injuries and the heartbreak of two failed Olympic bids—Blakely, who also excels academically at the University of Florida, stood atop the podium in Rotterdam, fulfilling a dream she once thought was unattainable. All her doubts vanished as she embraced this well-deserved moment.
This marked her first appearance in the World Championships All-Around final and her fourth overall at the Worlds, with her victory continuing a remarkable 23-year streak of U.S. women medaling in World All-Around competitions since the 2003 World Championships in Anaheim. Blakely departed Rotterdam with a total of four medals.
As the undeniable leader of the Team USA women, Blakely shared with the media the significance of her world title, expressing her desire to inspire other young women to pursue their dreams.
Team USA’s Medal Success
As the competition loomed, both the men’s and women’s teams from the U.S. faced speculation regarding their chances for medals. Ultimately, they returned home with eight medals, including Blakely’s four (the U.S. women secured team silver), alongside a gold and silver on floor for Claire Pease and Reese Esponda, a silver for Pease on vault, and a gold for Frederick Richard on floor.
- Women’s team (Skye Blakely, Charleigh Bullock, Dulcy Caylor, Reese Esponda, Claire Pease, Hezly Rivera)
- Claire Pease, women’s vault
- Reese Esponda, women’s floor exercise
- Skye Blakely, women’s vault
- Skye Blakely, uneven bars
The competition proved to be a resounding success, filled with excitement as this group of athletes looks forward to the Road to LA28.
Our very special thanks to Ricardo Bufolin for his beautiful photography throughout our time in Rotterdam. Until next time, #BuildingBridges
From October 21
With heart and determination, the women of Team USA secured silver today at the 2026 World Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam, competing in one of the most fiercely contested team finals seen in recent times. They achieved a score of 165.531, earning their place in LA28 as one of the top three teams, with China claiming gold (165.764) and Japan taking bronze (164.063).
The team from China and the U.S. engaged in a tight contest, with the Chinese team ultimately excelling on the beam in the third rotation, where they recorded an impressive 43.366, highlighted by a stunning 15.033 from 2025 World beam champion Zhang Qingying. This marked China’s first World Championships title since 2006.
Both China and Japan delivered solid performances, while Team USA narrowly missed gold, with clear opportunities for improvement identified. Chellsie Memmel, Technical Lead for USA Gymnastics, noted that E scores, artistry, beam difficulty, and landings on floor are areas to focus on as they prepare for LA28.
“It gives us a lot of motivation. We know where we want to be,” Memmel stated. “It truly means the world to me,”
Notably, Pease achieved the highest overall scores on three of the four apparatus among all eight teams in the final, recording three scores above 14 on both vault and uneven bars. Pease, along with Skye Blakely, is set to compete in Friday’s All-Around competition.
U.S. Women’s Team Performance
The women of Team USA finished second in the qualifications at the 2026 World Championships, achieving a score of 164.529, trailing behind China (164.996) but ahead of the Russian Federation (163.662). The team displayed consistency during the first day of qualifications, successfully 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, including Charleigh Bullock, Claire Pease, and Reese Esponda. The team also includes Skye Blakely, competing in her fourth consecutive World Championships, and Dulcy Caylor, who also participated in the 2025 World Championships. Team USA aims for their eighth consecutive World Championship gold and plans to rely on their strong team connection to secure a spot on the podium.
Skye’s The Limit
Skye Blakely entered the competition as the seasoned member of the U.S. team. At 21, she has already secured two world team titles in 2022 and 2023, but she has been in pursuit of individual glory at a World Championships. In 2022, Blakely finished fifth in the beam final and placed fourth on bars in 2025. This was her first opportunity to compete in all four events at a World Championships, and not only did she take on the challenge, but she excelled, qualifying second for the All-Around final and also earning spots in the vault, bars, and beam finals. This moment truly represented a dream realized for the junior from Florida. Blakely was moved to tears after successfully landing her beam dismount in the final rotation, running into the arms of her coach Owen Field, who consistently reminds her to breathe and stay calm under pressure. She was then enveloped in hugs by her younger teammates, who admire her greatly. This moment was particularly meaningful for Blakely, who has faced two serious injuries during the last two Olympic Trials.
“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 expressed regarding her All-Around final qualification. “I was a little bit upset about it just because that was a big connection pass for me,”
Catch Blakely in the All-Around, vault, bars, and beam final.
Youngsters Shine
Claire Pease, Reese Esponda, and Charleigh Bullock made their World Championships debuts, showcasing 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 earned her place in the vault and floor finals. She demonstrated the highest levels of difficulty on vault and floor, though a somewhat shaky beam routine kept her lower in the All-Around standings than she would have liked. Pease will certainly enter the All-Around as a favorite and is expected to compete on all four events in the team final, leading to a busy schedule for the 17-year-old in Rotterdam.
Bullock has emerged as the breakout star of 2026, making her senior debut this year and establishing herself as a gymnast to watch on the Road to LA28. A minor error on her signature event, the uneven bars, resulted in a score lower than expected, but she is eager to return to bars and refine her skills. When not competing, Bullock enthusiastically cheered for her teammates, appearing more nervous for their routines than her own and being the first to embrace them after they finished.
Esponda entered Rotterdam as the frontrunner for floor exercise gold, and she validated that status by qualifying first in the event with a score of 13.633. At the start of the championships, there was controversy surrounding the judging of her complex barani + double tuck combination, which would not receive front tumbling credit. This required Esponda to slightly adjust her routine, reducing her D-score from 6.2 to 6.0. However, the 17-year-old remained unfazed, adapting her routine in just one day and ready to compete fiercely in Rotterdam.
“I was also planning on adding the layout step out for this competition, but I move forward and it is what it is.” she remarked after the 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 World Champions Centre in Texas, the same gym where Olympic legend Simone Biles trained. She 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 shared.
Be on the lookout for Esponda’s extraordinary floor work during both the team and floor finals.
Ready for the Moment
An unfortunate injury forced Olympic gold medalist Hezly Rivera to withdraw from the competition just a day before the qualifying round. Dulcy Caylor had traveled to Rotterdam as the alternate but was called to compete following Rivera’s exit. Caylor’s journey in 2026 epitomizes perseverance, as she dealt with two stress fractures in her lower back earlier in the year that hindered her training. “I felt really grateful to be out there,” Caylor reflected after the qualifications. She had no expectations for her 2026 season, and competing at her second World Championships was not even on her radar. Caylor participated on beam, achieving 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 expressed. “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,”
We also spoke with Rivera after the qualifications. Though she felt disappointed about her performance at the championships, she acknowledged the positives she could take from this experience. Rivera was seen as Team USA’s biggest supporter on the competition floor, maintaining her signature smile while cheering for her teammates’ successes.
“Stay in the moment and enjoy every second,” Rivera stated.
Regardless of the outcome in Wednesday’s team final, Team USA showcased their strength and unity in Rotterdam, ready to seize the moment on gymnastics’ grandest stage.
“Stay in the moment and enjoy every second,” is the message Biles shares with Esponda, resonating throughout the entire U.S. team.
Catch Team USA in the 2026 World Championships Team Final Wednesday at 1:30 pm ET on Peacock.
