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I love the first World Championships of the quadrennial. It’s fun to see all the new Worlds competitors and start speculating on which will qualify for L.A. Olympics 2028.

Gymnastics Now has a Podium training page.

Here are some of my thoughts on WAG …

The BIG story of Podium is AIN 1 (Russia). I’m predicting they win the most medals of any nation. They look great. And have much to prove after being banned for so many months.

Personally, I support banning dictator-for-life Putin’s nation. His war killed over 1 million people already. BUT since Russia was allowed to compete Jakarta, fans can enjoy some excellent Gymnastics.

Second biggest story is Kaylia Nemour. Our Bars Olympic champ is an AA podium contender. A Worlds medal for Algeria would be a huge accomplishment in our sport.

USA is just another of the top teams here in 2025. Trying to qualify to apparatus finals in order to get a chance at a medal.

The U.S. have won at least one gold at every Worlds since 2006, and the All-Around champion has been an American in all but two of those years.

FIG – ‘There were many moments when I thought I wouldn’t make it’: Notes from Saturday podium training at Jakarta Worlds

Random notes:

• Some good skills and difficulty from around the world. Disappointingly few have excellent execution, however. This means the Code rewards difficulty more than quality. Too bad. It’s less impressive to watch for the general public. And we risk more serious injuries.
• Impressive skill ➙ Def from Haruka Nakamura. Respect. Not easy on Bars. AND Piked Deltchev. AND Bhardwaj. … I’d say hers is the most difficult routine, irrespective of D-score.
• The Japanese gymnasts in this Bars line-up all have high, floaty Paks with good form. As good as anyone in the competition.
• Ellie Black won’t do the AA here. She’s pacing herself, wanting to continue to her 5th Olympics in L.A. 2028.
• Hwang Seohyun from South Korea is the smallest competitor, I believe. Born 2009. She won Asian Championships on Beam. You can see why.
• South Korea is the top team that deserves more attention online. They’ve been under-appreciated for years.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

• Like previous international meets, I like the Korean spotting. A soft touch. Doing the absolute minimum possible.
• Impressed with the tumbling of Kaia Tanskanen representing Finland. She’s improved & upgraded since the World Cup in Paris.
• Our Olympic Bars champion, Kaylia Nemour, upgrading to YDT and hitting a fantastic Bar routine.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

• It feels like women’s Gymnastics is getting more like MAG in that there’s more parity. USA is not so dominant without Simone. I hope this trend continues.
• Ruby Evans is a legit Vault medal contender. I won’t be surprised if she tries Amanar in the Final.
• Looking at power for tumbling and vault, I’d say Joscelyn Roberson is #1
• I vote for a bonus 0.1 for any gymnast who can keep legs together on Maloney Bars skills. 😀
• Many are complaining about execution of Cheng vaults here. I’d agree. Many are terrible. The code is obviously valuing them too high compared with alternative Vaults. That should be fixed by WTC. E-score evaluation on all vaults should be fixed, as well. Perhaps doubling the current deductions.
• VERY COOL. Weiler direct to Jaeger ➙ Thelma Adalsteinsdottir. Love it. VIDEO.
• Celia Serber has terrific potential on Bars.
• Romania still MUST WATCH for Beam. A fantastic history and legacy on this apparatus.
• Twin sisters Nathalie and Emelie Westlund compete for Sweden
• Best true Tkachev ➙ Kate McDonald VIDEO. What turnover!
• Marta Pihan-Kulesza is back at Worlds. 38-years-young.
• Flavia balked on one Floor tumbling line. She was fine. Laughed it off. But at the time it looked like an Achilles injury on take-off.
• AIN (Russia) is back. Lyudmila Roshchina and Angelina Melnikova both warm-up piked (in-bar) Stalders first Touch Bars. Both definitely medal contenders. Super Bars aside from the awful bent knee Giant over the low bar before dismount. Anne-Leen Thorburn from Namibia is rotating with them. Great experience for her.
• Russia looks great on Beam, as well as Bars. Finalist(s) if they hit. Falls in Podium, however.
• I’m happy to see CAMEROON at Worlds. But gymnasts who can just barely Kip should not be on Bars. A minimal level should be required.
• Russia super clean and powerful tumbling, as well. It looks to me like the many, many months out of international competition have not resulted in the anticipated problems. No rust.
• REALLY like Angelina’s Floor. Age-25 now.
• I haven’t seen much of China. Zhou Yaqin and Zhang Qingying (the all-arounder this week) are doing Beam. Vault specialist Deng Yalan is a contender. Great Bars, as usual.

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FIG – Notes from Friday podium training at Jakarta Worlds