Backflip Off A Giant Iceberg

No surprise. Molly started as a gymnast before switching to Diving.

Champion Cliff Diver Molly Carlson becomes the first woman to dive from an iceberg in a world-first adventure.

Partnering with legendary ice climber Will Gadd, Molly trained for months ahead of the dive and learnt new skills for the challenge, including ice climbing and cold water training, before heading to the Newfoundland coast in search of the perfect free floating iceberg.

I was actually more worried for Will, as the iceberg starts to collapse while he is rappelling off.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Who will be Gymnastics World Champion 2026?

If Kaylia competes YDT on Vault & stays on Beam — she’ll be tough to defeat.

Claire Pease looked great in the Team Final. She seems to be locked in perfectly for this competition.

Skye has been ON as well. I’d rank her as 3rd most likely to be World Champion, especially if she nails Beam perfectly this time.

Men’s All-Around Final VIDEOS

It was an excellent competition, especially at the start when EVERYONE was hitting. Things fell apart towards the end.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Summing-up Men’s AA Rotterdam Worlds – Hashimoto Daiki wins his 4th.

The result was not a surprise to Uchimura, who was impressed by his junior countryman’s continuous dominance.

“I was watching thinking Hashimoto would win …

Hashimoto Daiki (JPN) – 85.998

  1. Yang Haonan (CHN) – 84.199
  2. Joe Fraser (GBR) – 83.531
  3. Daniel Marinov (WG2) – 83.297
  4. Angel Barajas (COL) – 83.232
  5. Jake Jarman (GBR) – 82.865
  6. Arseniy Dukhno (WG2) – 82.697
  7. Oka Shinnosuke (JPN) – 82.165

Full results.

zhoxxyy posted one of his incredibly detailed analysis posts:

2026 Gymnastics Worlds All-Around Stats: MAG by the Numbers

  • Hashimoto Daiki posted the highest score on three apparatus (pommel horse, parallel bars, high bar) and shared it on a fourth.
  • Difficulty alone did not decide the title. Illia Kovtun had the highest difficulty of the final but finished 11th, after falls on FX and PH.
  • Hashimoto Daiki is the only gymnast in the top 3 for both difficulty and execution, and the two medallists had the best execution of the field.
  • Hashimoto wasn’t leading until after the 5th apparatus.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. Kensley reflects.

Pundits

Surprises

  • Oka
  • always surprised that Kovtun’s coach stands in for Triple Back dismount off H Bar. Kovtun would crush her, you, and me if all 3 of us tried to catch him.
  • Dukhno is so, so consistent. And sticks like Uchimura. I was shocked when he fell on H Bar.

Highlights

  • Hashimoto won with a large margin. It didn’t look that way for most of the competition. Dukhno was looking like the strongest challenger — until a fall on H Bar on the final apparatus.
  • Hashimoto definitely should have competed less difficulty on H Bar as he didn’t need his full set to win the AA. BUT he did his huge, difficult set anyways, as he’s done in the past.
  • Great day for Yang Haonan age-23. I’m thinking he’s essential for the Chinese team next year at Worlds in Chengdu.
  • I was happiest when seeing Joe Fraser win Bronze. Especially since he was so disappointed with his performance in the Team Final. Redemption.
  • Jake Jarmin has been fantastic in Rotterdam. Daniel Marinov too.
  • Danil Leykin finished 12th at age-18. He’s exactly what Team USA needs right now. Charismatic. Modern routine construction. Potential for huge scores in future.
  • Everyone is now counting Colombia one of the top 12 team qualifiers to the L.A. Olympics. They’ll be even better in 2027. Young and ambitious.

Uchimura congratulated the champ.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Hashimoto Daiki 4th World Gymnastics Title

He’s catching up to Uchimuara Kōhei who won 6 consecutive World all-around titles.

  1. Hashimoto Daiki, Japan, 85.998
  2. Yang Haonan, China, 84.199
  3. Joe Fraser, Great Britain, 83.531
  4. Daniel Marinov, Russia, 83.297
  5. Angel Barajas, Colombia, 83.232
  6. Jake Jarman, Great Britain, 82.865
  7. Arseniy Dukhno, Russia, 82.697
  8. Oka Shinnosuke, Japan, 82.165

Full results.

Nice guy Joe Fraser taking his first AA medal was the highlight for me. Especially since he had been so disappointed in his Team Final performance.

I don’t know much about Yang Haonan. But he already looks essential for the team at 2027 World Chengu. Excellent on all 6 apparatus.

Marinov had a near perfect competition. Shockingly, Dukhno had a fall on H Bar. He seemed to be perfect up to that point.

Jake has never been better.

Angel Barajas definitely could have scored higher. His podium finish awaits.

Olympic champion Oka Shinnosuke? It just wasn’t his day.

Summing-up Rotterdam Worlds TEAM FINAL – China wins.

The Women’s Team Final 2026 was excellent this year — better than I expected. And far better than the Men’s Team Final.

Results.

Automatic qualification as teams to Olympics 2028 for the top three.

1. China – 165.764
2. USA – 165.531
3. Japan – 164.064

  1. France – 161.130
  2. Brazil – 159.730
  3. WG2 Russia – 159.394
  4. Italy – 158.129
  5. Canada – 158.096

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Pundit Analysis

Surprises

  • Fujitsu video analysis has coaches worried that skills credited in the past will suddenly be downgraded. I want computer video analysis integrated into the score as soon as possible. It’s really helped Trampoline.
  • Nobody watching Skye’s Beam worried that she wasn’t getting credit for her Switch Half and series. Credit to the judges, by exacting evaluation of the rules, it wasn’t rotated far enough. The best way to solve this problem would be to devalue Switch Half.
  • Roshchina missed her Dance Combo requirement on Beam. Didn’t seem to have a back-up planned for later in the routine.
  • Manila fell on Beam dismount. Impossible. I’m blocking that from my memory.

Highlights

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

  • China finally winning Gold was my highlight. I recall ALL the World Championships in the past where China won the Men’s Team — and the women were 4th. This time the ladies are Gold medalists on the flight home.
  • Japan so happy with the Bronze podium finish — fantastic.
  • Fujitsu Awards go to the Women’s Team of Japan, first team medal in 60 years. And the Men’s Team of host Netherlands.
  • Newcomer Coralie DEMERS (from Gymnix, Canada) swings like a dream on Bars.
  • Lia-Monica Fontaine from Canada is now age-17. Her 2nd World Championships. A future all-around star with tremendous potential on Floor and Vault.
  • Elena Colas, age 16, is already an AA podium contender. Imagine a scenario where she and Kaylia Nemour were both competing for France. … What could have been.
  • Pease has the best controlled Wolf turn on Beam. WTC should devalue those.
  • Rebeca back at Worlds. Wonderful for Brazil and everyone.
  • Claire Pease was terrific, scoring a competition high 56.099 if there was an AA during Team
  • Without Simone, there’s much more parity in the Team competition. In an exciting 3-up, 3-count Final, many more nations have a chance to medal. For Japan it’s been 60 years since their last podium finish.
  • Floor scores made more sense than in the qualification round. I’m still convinced that choreography was best ever in 2026. Nations like China and USA much more entertaining.
  • As a Canadian, I was pleased Ellie Black’s team qualified for the Final. Recall they qualified 8th four years ago, finishing 3rd in Team, qualifying to the Paris Olympics. That didn’t happen this year due to BEAM. (3 falls in qualifying, 2 falls in Team) But this might be Canada’s strongest team ever — when they stay on the skinny Floor.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Chellsie on the Women’s Team Final

Great team effort.

In future, working on increasing execution scores, especially on Beam.

Absolutely no-one considered the possibility of Skye Blakely not getting credit for her Switch Half. No-one to blame, in my opinion.

I’d love World Gymnastics WTC to devalue Switch Half. It’s an overused skill.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Sam Oldham & Kensley Behel on Men’s Worlds TEAM FINAL Rotterdam

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

China are Women’s Gymnastics World Champions. Congratulations.

Full results.

Automatic qualification as teams to Olympics 2028 for the top three.

1. China – 165.764
2. USA – 165.531
3. Japan – 164.064

USA had a fall on Floor. China hit 12 / 12.

There was a controversial decision on Beam. Skye Blakely didn’t get credit for switch half due to insufficient twist. Lost 0.4 for the D part. AND lost combination requirement for the series for 0.5. She had a back-up series but didn’t do it, thinking the first one was fine.

I feel it’s good for the sport to have a new Team Champion. More competition = more excitement. Also, how soon can Shilese Jones get back. 🙂

It was an excellent and exciting Team Final this year.

Beam was the make or break apparatus, as always.

  1. France – 161.130
  2. Brazil – 159.730
  3. WG2 Russia – 159.394
  4. Italy – 158.129
  5. Canada – 158.096

Fujitsu Awards went to the Women’s Team of Japan, first team medal in 60 years. And the Men’s Team of host Netherlands.

Mai is Head Coach of the Japanese team.

Summing-up Men’s Team Finals at Worlds Rotterdam – Japan defends

Top 3 teams earn automatic Olympics 2028 team qualification.

  1. Japan 251.928
  2. WG2/Russia 250.329
  3. China 249.193
  • Great Britain 247.395
  • Switzerland 246.497
  • United States 245.161
  • Netherlands 241.294
  • Colombia 240.093

It really was a crazy day, the top teams making unexpected and sometimes weird mistakes. GBR and China led at various times.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Pundit Analysis

Surprises

  • Colombia qualifying for the Team Final was the biggest surprise. We’d predicted it COULD happen with 2 superstars Ángel Barajas & Camilo Vera. But there are plenty of teams who wanted their spot.
  • USA had the difficulty to contend with the top teams, but had a bad meet. It happens.
  • competition delay after Team NETHERLANDS complained about the Floor in one touch warm-ups. Just like Worlds 2017 Montreal.
  • online and in arena scoring was very good in the qualification days. But for the Team Final, we really didn’t get enough information.
  • top Pommel guys in the world should avoid Magyar / Sivado in case of SKEW deduction. And maybe get rid of Wu-type long travels for risk of form break. I’d like to see Fujitsu analyze extension on regular circles. To separate the best of the best, we might need require a straight line.

Highlights

  • Colombia qualifying for the Team Final was my highlight. A small non-European nation grabbing that spot in front of so many teams looking for 2028 Olympic qualification.
  • Ángel Barajas used his harder H Bar routine. And hit. It’s a shocker every time.
  • Netherlands qualifying for the Team Final was not all that much of a surprise — but them delivering so many excellent routines in front of the home crowd was a huge highlight. Congratulations.
  • Daiki Hashimoto clinching the win for the team on H Bar. Drama.
  • Shane Wiskus was money-in-the-bank again, leading off for team USA. So consistent.
  • my man Kam Nelson from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, confirmed to me he’s a legit contender for the U.S. Olympic team. Consistent competitor on 3 apparatus. Could be top 2 American on any of those three.
  • Zou Jingyuan is maybe my favourite Chinese gymnast of all time. So many BIG routines, big competitions. Now age-28, how many years can he keep going?
  • Switzerland once again super prepared, super consistent. With so many falls from the top teams, at one point I wondered if they might WIN these World Championships
  • Scotland’s Reuben Ward is a GBR A-team member now. Super job in Rotterdam.
  • Jake Jarmin looking great
  • Danila Leykin is a highlight for me. He’s exactly the kind of gymnast USA needs. Charisma. Ultra-modern routine construction. Only age-19, I suspect he will learn a lot from mistakes in 2026 and be a superstar by 2028.
  • China on Rings. Zou Jingyuan (14.033), Yang Haonan (14.000), and Lan Xingyu (14.733).
  • Dukhno is the best gymnast to come out of WG2 Russia for many years. Only age-18. I worry about his future potential on Rings, however.
  • STICK BONUS for MAG has really improved the quality of dismounts. And crowd appeal as the great unwashed can appreciate a stuck landing.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.