Patrick Kiens & Daymon Jones’ interview

An excellent podcast.

Patrick Kiens and Daymon Jones, now at WCC Texas, previously coach the Romanian team.

Women’s Jr Worlds Podium Training

A few notes from the 2025 Junior World Artistic Gymnastics Championships MAG podium training.

Competition goes 20 to 24 November at the Marriott Grand Ballroom at the Newport World Resorts in the Metro Manila city of Pasay.

Manila Junior Worlds: Women’s podium training showcases depths of global talent

  • super exciting to see all the new faces at a World Championships ➙ gymnasts and coaches
  • it’s safe to say that the concept of a World Artistic Jr Championships is well accepted now. 10 more nations sent Juniors to this meet for the first time.
  • we always have to admit that it’s silly to have small nations like Malta (pop. 520,000) compete against huge nations like China. That said, Algeria has an Olympic champion. It’s possible.
  • it’s great to see good gymnastics from unexpected small nations. Sophie St John from Malta is a name to remember, for example.
  • while level of gymnastics is mixed, I found the level of Jr. WAG mostly closer to Senior level than MAG
  • myself and some of the judges I spoke with were impressed with the ARTISTRY of these young gymnasts on Floor. Entertaining choreography.
  • the FIG WTC push to improve artistry on Beam and Floor worked
FIG photo

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FIG posted a preview article:

  • all those competing in Manila will be eligible for senior level competition by 2028 Olympics
  • Competitors to watch include Elena Colas (FRA) and Muneta Rinon (JPN), the reigning women’s Junior European and Junior Asian All-Around champions, respectively. Charleigh Bullock (USA), who earned five gold medals at the Junior Pan American Games earlier this year, will lead the U.S. effort.
  • Lavi Crain (USA) looked great in Podium
  • Elena and team France look terrific in podium training
  • the tiny gymnasts from Japan do HUGE difficult skills
  • Minamino Yume full-twisting layout Jaeger from a jam to handstand
  • one young gymnast not ready for full difficulty on Bars opts to compete a super clean, simple routine with Straddle Cut and Sole Circle dismount.  Maximize execution score. 
  • I was surprised at the number of backward handspring tucks on Beam. Layout is normally more consistent.
  • as rules still promote difficulty over execution, I’m expecting a lot of falls
  • USA puts a priority on HITTING routines. I expect them to be very successful at this level.



Lucia Piliarova – Bars

You Got The Look – Jordan Chiles

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Let’s go crazy.

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Men’s Jr Worlds Podium Training

A few notes from the 2025 Junior World Artistic Gymnastics Championships MAG podium training.

Competition goes 20 to 24 November at the Marriott Grand Ballroom at the Newport World Resorts in the Metro Manila city of Pasay.

  • most of the young men took this opportunity quite seriously. There wasn’t much joking around on the floor.
  • coaches free to ask questions of the judges
  • facility looks great. Feels more like a small arena than a hotel ballroom.
photo via FIG
  • competitors who haven’t trained on TaiShan told me equipment was good — but different. Floor is hard as most NEW Floors are until hundreds of gymnasts have pounded it. One told me the Pommel Horse felt springy. Light coloured Floor caused no confusion. It’s not white, as it was in Jakarta.
  • once again, something went wrong with the podium H Bar set-up. Yep. While USA was training. Actually, it was just the tension gauge which stopped working and had to be replaced. It caused a slight delay.
  • close to 750 athletes total will compete in the 2025 edition of Jr. Worlds, the 3rd edition. It’s getting increasingly popular. Nations are finding funding.
  • Israel is here — and their guys look great. Potential for several Finals.
  • security seems quite good to me. The streets of Pasay City outside reveal many armed guards, as well.  We are close to the airport. 
  • Ukraine and AIN are here
  • Karl Eldrew Yulo, the younger brother of two-time Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo, has a lot of media following him. Another superstar in the making for Philippines.

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  • Japan is looking great, as expected. China as well.
  • Rings is the weak apparatus, as expected.
  • Pommels impressed me most. There are another dozen Juniors who will soon be challenging the top Seniors on Horse. I can’t understand how so many guys are getting so good, so young.
  • of course the size and maturation of competitors is wildly different at this age. Some guys are more than twice as heavy as others. Happily, late developers have some advantages in MAG. There’s no rush.
  • how many of these Juniors will ever compete Sr. Worlds?
  • on the other hand, Shinnosuke Oka won the 1st Jr. Worlds in 2019 and went on to be Olympic Champion in 2024. Ángel Barajas was 2nd AA at the 2023 Jr Worlds. A year later won the silver medal on the horizontal bar at the 2024 Olympic Games.
  • no doubt some future stars will become well known after Manila

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Congratulations to GAP and the organizing committee. They’ve done an amazing job putting together this competition.

Chinese National Games ’25 AA RESULTS

Xiao Ruoteng plans to retire after this competition.

He competed at the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games, winning five medals. He is the 2017 World all-around champion and the 2018 World pommel horse champion.