US Women’s Gymnastics Team Begins Road to LA28 Olympics at Worlds Selection Camp

Selection Camp Contenders and World Championships Stakes

Twelve athletes will participate in the two-day selection camp to fill the five available roster spots for the upcoming world championships. According to USA TODAY Sports, the top two all-around gymnasts automatically qualify for the U.S. team at this year’s world championships, while a selection committee will choose the remaining three athletes based on who gives the Americans the best chance in team finals. The roster features a mix of veteran presence and fresh talent. Carey and Skye Blakely stand out as the only gymnasts at the selection camp with prior team world championship experience. Meanwhile, Rivera returns to competition after winning the last two U.S. titles alongside her team gold medal from the Paris Games. Three participants—Charleigh Bullock, Caroline Moreau, and Lila Richardson—are in their first years at the senior level. Seven-time Olympic champion Simone Biles will not participate in the selection process, having remained on a competition hiatus since the Paris Games without confirming whether she intends to target the Los Angeles Olympics. Biles offered advice to this year’s hopefuls in an interview with USA TODAY Sports, stating, As long as you stay true to your goal and you stay on track, it’s going to be fine. But have fun with the process. It’s going to be absolutely incredible.

The Return of Russia and International Rivals

While the American squad deals with roster turnover, the broader international field presents the most formidable challenge the U.S. program has faced at worlds since its winning streak began in 2011. USA TODAY Sports noted that Russia will field a full team at the world championships for the first time since 2019, returning from a ban prompted by the country’s war on Ukraine. Russia remains the only team to defeat the United States since the 2008 Summer Games, having claimed gold at both the 2010 world championships and the Tokyo Olympics. At last month’s European championships—their first major competition since the ban’s lifting—the Russian team secured a victory over reigning Olympic silver medalist Italy by more than three points. Angelina Melnikova and Anna Kalmykova finished first and second in the all-around at that event, with Melnikova also capturing gold on vault and bronze medals on both balance beam and floor exercise. Russia’s depth could further increase at worlds with the expected inclusion of Viktoria Listunova, a Tokyo gold medalist and the 2021 European all-around champion who missed the European championships due to visa complications. In addition to Russia, Italy, China, and Britain are expected to challenge the U.S. for podium positions.

Qualification Path to the 2028 Los Angeles Games

The upcoming world championships carry immense implications for the U.S. program’s home-soil Olympic preparations. The Americans need a top-three finish at the tournament to secure their spot for the Los Angeles Games, a threshold the program has consistently cleared by not finishing off the podium at a world championship or Olympics since 1999. If necessary, a secondary qualification opportunity will exist at next year’s world championships to decide the remaining nine spots in the LA28 field. Even with an inexperienced roster featuring athletes making their major international debuts, the upcoming competition provides vital preparation for the current generation of gymnasts. Rivera emphasized the significance of the upcoming event to USA TODAY Sports, stating, I’m so looking forward to worlds. I think it’s going to be really fun. And a really important competition. The selected athletes will gain direct experience with international competition formats and encounter their primary global rivals as the competitive cycle for Los Angeles officially gets underway.