Hello, and welcome to Gymnastics Insider!
The Youth Olympic Games were held this week (results) (replay). Much like their senior counterparts at last month’s worlds, China’s juniors thrived. They won both the team final and the mixed team final, along with all-around bronze with an incredible performance overall:
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Sixty gymnasts competed at the YOG in Dakar, Senegal, the first African city to host an Olympic event. The competition was a showcase for up-and-coming talent, especially for China, Russia, Japan and France.
China’s Zhong Qi and Xie Guying led their team to victory in a 3-2-2 format; they also topped the all-around standings after qualifications, but a botched wolf turn on floor held Zhong back in the final, and she took third. Chen Ziyan’s 14.266 was the highest beam score in the competition:
The all-around title went to Russia’s Polina Dmitrieva, who earned a 54.665, including a 14.500 on bars. At just 14, her routines are on par with a top senior elite:
Other standout performances came from France’s Louane Plisson, who took silver in the all-around and led her team to a bronze-medal finish. Minamino Yume of Japan led her team, which earned silver.
The top athletes had impressive difficulty. Xie competed a FTDLO off bars, Minamino did a DTY, and Zhong does incredible pirouette work.
What are age limits for?
Which brings me to my next point: while it was great to see the next generation in action, with athletes trending older in the current quad, why do we bother with international junior events?
Compared to senior events like worlds, this looked far less tiring. There were no event finals, so the competition wasn’t as intensive as a world championship. And I do see the merit in giving young athletes international experience.
It does, however, defeat the purpose of age limits. These policies are supposed to help athletes avoid putting undo stress on their bones and brains before they’re ready. With the average age of elites competing at the Olympic level rising, and competing longer, we’re no longer in need of competitions to show us who the next top gymnast will be — or, rather, who might be too injured to compete as a senior at all.
As you may remember, Viktoria Komova had her breakout performance at the first-ever Youth Olympic Games in 2010. Part of the reason she was so successful is the same reason the top athletes here were so successful: she was competing at a senior elite level, before she turned senior. While Komova had an incredible Olympics two years later, her career was ultimately cut short by many injuries.
The next top gymnast may not have competed at these YOG; based on current trends, they’re likely playing the long game.
It may not be profitable to host these Games anyway. There will be a 2028 Winter Games, and IOC President Kirsty Coventry was happy with the event. But she says there may be no future Youth Summer Games; in fact, the IOC has paused efforts to find a host for 2030 (Reuters).
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NCAA signings
The signing period for NCAA gymnastics programs opened this week! College Gym News has all the updates in their signing tracker.
Notably, Claire Pease signed with Utah. Hezly Rivera, Reese Esponda, and Tatum Drusch have signed with LSU but are deferring until the 2029 season. Josie Lynch of Gym East is the top 2027 recruit, and she has signed with LSU as well.
Upgrades season
Some of our faves are playing around in the gym.
Apparently this is what “struggling” on bars looks like if you’re Suni Lee: https://www.tiktok.com/@sunisalee_/video/7706983738898484510
Dulcy Caylor is working on some new skills, including a FTDLO on floor: https://www.instagram.com/p/DfnfSlOOEco
Riley McCusker looks great on bars: https://www.instagram.com/p/Dfm6cqLTt0P
Reese Esponda is working on a Biles II on floor, and an Amanar: https://www.instagram.com/p/Dfkf3V0yVQx
And a maloney full (???): https://www.instagram.com/p/DfidVC4xjrc
More news
People are obsessed with the fact that Alice Kinsella came back after having a baby. While I admire her and think she deserves all the praise, the rhetoric now seems to treat her like an alien. Does no one remember that Aliya Mustafina did this? Oksana Chusovitina? Larisa Latynina, who competed while pregnant? Me, a non-athlete, running a 5k three months postpartum? I suppose it is strange because you’re supposed to fall off the face of the earth when you have a baby. Quick, someone call in the scientists!
Five at The IX: Angelina Melnikova
Angelina Melnikova visited Los Angeles and chatted with NBC4. How do you say “thrilled” in Russian?
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