Miss gymnastics yet?

If you loved watching gymnastics at the Tokyo Olympics and are missing the thrill of a stuck landing, you’re in luck, because gymnastics doesn’t just happen at the Olympics. In fact, the 2021 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships are set to kick off in Kitakyushu, Japan on Monday, featuring some of the top athletes in the sport.

Normally, worlds are held only in non-Olympic years. But when the 2020 Olympics were postponed, 2021 worlds stayed in place on the calendar, making this the first time in 25 years that a world gymnastics championship has been held in the same year as an Olympics. In 1996, the competition happened a few months before the Games, so it acted as a dress rehearsal for top talent like Simona Amanar and Svetlana Khorkina.

Here, a worlds held just months after the Olympics will be less predictable. We’ll see some overachievers who have pushed through after the Olympics, but we’ll also see athletes from very deep countries like the United States, China and Russia who were left off of their Tokyo teams and now hope to make a name for themselves.

It’s not the type of competition you can expect to see each year, but if you’re a fan during the Olympics, this one is well worth your time. The competition starts Monday with qualifications. The all-around final on Thursday and the event finals on Saturday and Sunday will air live on the Olympic Channel. NBC will also provide tape-delayed coverage.

Here are five things to look out for at this year’s worlds:

Melnikova could clean up

Russian star Angelina Melnikova just won a gold and two bronze medals at her second Olympic Games. If anyone told her that it’s OK to take a breather after the best competition of her life, she hasn’t listened, instead plowing through to make the Russian team for her fourth world championships.

In fact, despite injuries, a breakup with her longtime coach, changes in her body and even the now-infamous twisties, Melnikova says she hasn’t missed a competition since 2017. “I thought about whether to take a break [after Tokyo] or go to the World Championships,” she said in an interview translated by Gymnovosti. “But since I was invited to various … competitions, I still need to be in shape. So, why not try it?”

Why not? Melnikova is at the top of her game and excels in all four events, so this could be a worlds where she cleans up. Plus, without U.S. stars Simone Biles and Sunisa Lee — who beat her at the Olympics — in the mix, the coveted world all-around title appears to be hers to lose.

But first, she’ll have to answer to Rebeca Andrade. A veteran of the Brazilian team, Andrade came back this year after tearing her ACL three times and repeatedly missing world and Olympic podiums to do what we all knew she was capable of — winning.

In Tokyo, she earned a silver medal in the all-around, her country’s first-ever Olympic medal in gymnastics, and an incredible gold on vault. “I wanted to shine in the best way possible, and I think I did,” she told the FIG.

Look out for her powerful Cheng, an Yurchenko-style vault and one of the most difficult performed by women today.

Where does the U.S. stand?

After the Olympics, many of the top U.S. gymnasts are away, either recovering from injuries, off at college or participating in Biles’ post-Olympic tour. That’s why, when the U.S. held worlds trials earlier this month, only six athletes competed.

That doesn’t mean there’s a dearth of talent on the U.S. team, though. Quite the contrary: Kayla DiCello and Leanne Wong, both Olympic team alternates, are world-class athletes who hope to make a splash on the international stage. DiCello had an impressive showing at trials, winning the all-around and earning the highest score on three events. Plus, she doesn’t seem phased at all by the prospect of leading this team. “This is our turn to show the world what we can do,” she said.

Wong, meanwhile, earned the top score on floor, where she competes a gorgeous whip to triple twist. After spending much of her Tokyo experience in her hotel room after her teammate tested positive for COVID-19, Wong hopes to have a better showing at worlds.

“I was really disappointed in my experience,” she said. “And I just wanted to train more and get the real experience of competing outside the country.”

She’s had trouble with consistency in the past, but if she does what she’s capable of next week, then she has a real shot at a medal.

Filling out Team USA’s roster are eMjae Frazier, who surprised when she took second in the all-around at trials, and Konnor McClain.

McClain’s year has been marked by drama and unmet expectations. After an incredible 2019 season, MClain had disappointing performances in the lead-up to the Olympic trials, followed by a last-minute gym change. Then, at worlds trials, she fell twice on beam and twice on floor.

But there’s reason to be hopeful for McClain at worlds. After trials, she told the media that she’s feeling much better at her new gym, both mentally and in terms of her gymnastics. “I didn’t feel any nerves at all [at worlds trials], so I just felt different. It was a good experience,” she said. “The last four months have been really good … it’s just crazy how much it has changed and how happy I am to go into the gym every day.”

She also said that she hit her high-difficulty beam routine during the behind-closed-doors session on Day 2. If she can replicate that at worlds, then this could be a turning point for her career.

China’s redemption

China’s best gymnasts, normally representing a superpower in the sport, had a rough outing at the Tokyo Olympics, coming in seventh as a team in the final. Team members Tang Xijing, Lu Yufei and Fan Yilin also underperformed in the all-around and bars finals to miss the podium. It looked like China could actually go without a medal until the beam final, where Guan Chenchen and Tang went 1-2 in glorious fashion.

Now, China is sending a very strong and talented group to worlds for the chance at redemption. Wei Xiaoyuan, for one, gets to make a name for herself on the world stage after coming in second in the all-around and first in bars at China’s second Olympic trials but still being left off of the Olympic team. Here, she’ll lead China in the all-around after winning that title at the recent Chinese National Games with a 55.064. Bars are her specialty, and if she, Becky Downie and Melnikova compete there at full strength, it will make for a thrilling final.

Wei Xiaoyuan - UB 2021 CHN NG QF pic.twitter.com/73hYp6Wdxa

— Xiaoyu_CHN_DTY_in_Tokyo⚰️ (@xiaoyuonion) September 20, 2021

We also saw the return of Li Shijia, who was a favorite to make the Olympic team before an injury ruined her chances. At the National Games, she earned a 14.666 at qualifications — the highest beam score of the competition — with a routine that she absolutely needs to repeat at a world championships.

Li Shijia BB TQ
Welcome back Jiajia💕💕 pic.twitter.com/koxOmOoCbw

— 体操光年 (@chngym) September 20, 2021

Downie’s comeback

Becky Downie is back. A two-time Olympian and one of the sport’s great veterans — she’s competed as a senior elite since 2008 — Downie was set to contend for a bars medal at the Tokyo Olympics before she was shockingly left off of Team Great Britain. The situation surrounding her omission made it all the more heartbreaking: Downie’s brother died unexpectedly during the trials process, and while British Gymnastics granted her a separate trial, they still didn’t include her on the team.

Downie expressed her disappointment, but didn’t let it stop her from training for her 10th world championships. “I don’t want to retire like this,” she wrote on Twitter.

Her inclusion on Great Britain’s worlds roster, then, was a relief for many fans, who hope to see her dominate in the bars final. Downie is known for her exciting bar routines, which are packed with releases and quick transitions.

Only way is up 🤍 pic.twitter.com/DAcagDEQAV

— Becky Downie (@Bdownie) May 14, 2021

If she’s able to bring her full difficulty to Kitakyushu, it will be a thrill to watch.

The return of one-touch warmups

It’s a small thing, for sure, but the misguided rule that fans and athletes have hated for years is finally gone — the “no one-touch warmup before event finals.”

Some background: In team and all-around finals, athletes get the chance to warm up on each apparatus before they perform. But historically, in event finals, the warmup happens in the back gym, and when athletes come out to compete, they don’t get to try out the equipment again before competing. The rule, according to gymnastics authorities, was meant to appease broadcasters.

It stood at the Tokyo Olympics, where falls during the bars final led to an outcry from athletes and fans, who argued that not having a warmup leaves gymnasts at a disadvantage. McKayla Maroney said on Instagram that when she competed in the vault final, her legs felt “like Jell-O” after the long wait.

The controversy was enough to get the rule changed, starting at these world championships. Here, the first four athletes in an event final will have the chance to warm up before they compete, followed by the other four. It’s unclear what the effects of this will be, but ideally we’ll see fewer falls and better performances. And, needless to say, it probably won’t affect the viewing experience.

Jessica Taylor Price is a freelance sports writer. Her work has appeared in Teen Vogue, ESPNW, and Bleacher Report. She is also the gymnastics writer for the women’s sports newsletter The IX. Follow her on Twitter @jesstaylorprice.

The first time Washington Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune experienced an NWSL playoff game at DC's "Rowdy Audi" Field, it was from the sidelines. The promising young star had experienced a major setback, injuring her MCL while throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at nearby Nationals Park — just weeks after winning Olympic gold with the USWNT. "

"Sitting in the stands watching the game wasn't ideal," she told JWS this week. "But it was still very fun and very cool, just to have that whole experience, seeing Audi full and rowdy and the fans just very excited."

Bethune's changing fortunes — she'd go on to win both 2024 Rookie of the Year and Midfielder of the Year despite her late-August season-ending injury — underlined a 2024 season of extremes for the Spirit. Washington finished second in the NWSL standings, entering the postseason confident before ultimately ceding the championship game to Shield-winners Orlando.

This year, the club is hoping to finish the job, once again locked into second place and hunting the franchise's second NWSL title. And for Bethune and her teammates, the sense of deja vu is palpable.

The Spirit emerges from a season of constant change

The Spirit underwent their second midseason coaching change in two years this past June, when manager Jonatan Giraldez left to take over fellow Michele Kang-owned club, France's OL Lyonnes. Adrián González — last season's interim coach — reclaimed the team's top leadership role, guiding the Spirit to their second straight No. 2 finish in a surprising show of consistency for a club undergoing significant change.

"Things happen, not everything is permanent," Bethune said plainly, commenting on the staffing changes "I learned this in my college recruiting process: You don't pick a school for the coach, because the coach can always move."

And while Washington added significant depth over the course of 2025 — namely bringing on international standouts like Italy's Sofia Cantore and Nigeria's Gift Monday — the roster has struggled to overcome lingering injuries and absences. Bethune officially returned to play in April, registering two goals and two assists through 20 regular-season games, but overall availability has continued to plague the squad despite the training staff's best efforts.

Captain Andi Sullivan and starting outside back Casey Krueger are currently both on maternity leave. And superstar Trinity Rodman remains questionable after a freak knock to the knee in late October — two months after originally returning from a lengthy back injury.

Bethune misses NWSL Decision Day as injury issues take a toll

Last Sunday's Decision Day loss to the eliminated Utah Royals saw even more attrition, with impact players Leicy Santos, Gift Monday, and Rose Kouassi all left off the gameday roster. Even Bethune missed Sunday's regular-season finale with a thigh injury, though she's now listed as available after training alongside club medical staff this week.

This is when experience facing adversity comes in handy for the 24-year-old. "When I'm playing, I feel like I can see everything, but when you're not playing, you can really see everything," she said, stressing the perspective she's gained from sitting on the sidelines. "Just seeing how the game should flow, or how it is flowing."

Bethune has also learned to avoid pushing her body too hard if she's not feeling 100%, a mantra that can be both frustrating and, at times, liberating.

"I feel like, over the years, I've done very well at understanding when my body is telling me something, and listening to that," she said.

Returning from injury is difficult for any player, but particularly for those as creative on the pitch as Bethune. Known for confidence on the ball, audacious passing vision in the midfield, and the ability to turn towards goal herself if she senses weakness, the Georgia grad became a household name last year thanks to a free-wheeling partnership with fellow USWNT standout Rodman.

It took some time for Bethune to re-find her footing this season, learning how to not overthink exactly what makes her such a special player.

"Feeling like myself is just feeling like Croix Bethune," she said. "Doing what I do — momentum, rhythm, cheekiness, just feeling smooth and calm in the game."

Bethune looks to lean on Spirit culture ahead of quarterfinal test

Shaky availability — and the related threat of yet again falling short of the NWSL title — still looms over the Spirit as they head into this weekend's quarterfinal matchup against an extra-motivated Racing Louisville. But Bethune thinks the Spirit can lean on their depth for that creative spark, as injured players inch closer to a healthy return with every passing day.

"We're big on our culture," she explained. "The culture that we have off the field, within the team, is very strong. And when we incorporate the staff and the coaches, we're all on the same page."

Even without a full-strength roster, the Spirit have shown an ability to bend without breaking, riding the ups and downs of a topsy-turvy season without slipping from the league's top ranks. And that level of togetherness can be difficult to derail.

"Versatility, being close — we have a lot of options," Bethune said of her team's postseason strategy. "We have a lot of people that can play a lot of different positions."

"Once we get that rhythm," she added, "it's pretty scary for the defense."

The two newest PWHL teams are re-introducing themselves this week, as the third-year league officially revealed the team names and branding for 2025/26 expansion sides Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes on Thursday.

"The Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes are bold, distinctive, and true to who we are as a league," PWHL EVP of business operations Amy Scheer said in a league statement. "Each team identity is deeply connected to its home — Seattle draws inspiration from the waterways that shape its landscape, and Vancouver from its abundance of unique wildlife."

While the Torrent's letter "S" evokes Seattle's waterways, Vancouver's branding utilizes a local city bird — the "fiercely protective Common Goldeneye" — for "its speed, strength, and precision in flight."

"The Goldeneyes name is powerful, bold, and tough," said Vancouver forward and local product Jenn Gardiner. "This identity is a perfect reflection of who we are, where we come from, and that we will be relentless to play against every single night."

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While the PWHL always planned to unveil the expansion sides' individual identities ahead of the 2025/26 season, both teams will still follow suit from the league's inaugural year by sporting generic PWHL branding throughout their debut campaigns.

In what Scheer calls "the start of an incredible Pacific Northwest rivalry," both the visiting Seattle Torrent and host Vancouver Goldeneyes will make their PWHL debuts against each other when the puck drops on the league's third season on Friday, November 21st.

How to purchase Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes merch

While the Torrent and Goldeneyes will don generic jerseys this season, fully branded merchandise for the 2025/26 PWHL expansion teams hit the league's online shop for fans to purchase on Thursday.

New offseason league Project B is raising more than eyebrows, with the international upstart reportedly far exceeding WNBA salaries as it builds out its pro women's basketball roster ahead of a planned 2026 debut.

According to Front Office Sports (FOS), Project B is offering athletes like inaugural signee Nneka Ogwumike multimillion dollar salaries, with indications that multi-year deals could see paydays reach upwards of eight figures.

Project B also gave the Seattle Storm star equity in the venture, putting WNBA stakeholders on edge as CBA negotiations continue to simmer Stateside.

Sources also reportedly told FOS that the budding league has already signed additional WNBA players.

While the winter league's F1-style tournament structure doesn't directly compete with the WNBA calendar, history shows that players will sometimes de-prioritized domestic league play if offered enough money to compete overseas.

One of the most notable instances of this occurred when now-retired superstar Diana Taurasi sat out the entire 2015 WNBA season after top EuroLeague side UMMC Ekaterinburg paid her $1.5 million to forgo that summer's competition.

Other offseason leagues are also making financial inroads that supersede the WNBA's current salary offerings, with 54 WNBA players set to take the Unrivaled 3×3 court in the winter league's 2026 season in January — including equity-holder Paige Bueckers.

Even more, big names like four-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson, 2024 Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark, 2024 champion Sabrina Ionescu, and two-time All-Star Angel Reese opted out of joining the 2026 Unrivaled season, leaving some speculating that seven-figure deals could see those stars instead eyeing a jump to Project B.

Ultimately, the reports of additional options for lucrative offseason contracts only increases the drama surrounding the US league's ongoing CBA negotiations, putting even more pressure on the WNBA to offer an attractive financial agreement to its athletes.

Despite missing the 2025/26 NCAA basketball season due to injury, USC superstar JuJu Watkins is staying busy, with the junior guard buying into 2026 NWSL expansion side Boston Legacy FC's investment group this week.

Besides padding her portfolio, the move also sees Watkins make history as the first-ever NCAA athlete to actively invest in a professional women's sports franchise.

"Boston Legacy FC is creating a space for women to achieve, lead, and inspire others at the highest level," Watkins said in a Thursday club press release. "I'm proud to be part of the movement pushing women's sports forward."

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The 20-year-old reigning Naismith Player of the Year now joins a Boston Legacy investment core that includes the likes of Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston and Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams as well as three-time Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Aly Raisman and actor Elizabeth Banks.

"JuJu's investment marks a groundbreaking moment for women's sports and the power of NIL," said Legacy owner Jennifer Epstein. "She's showing that today's student-athletes aren't just building their own brands — they're shaping the future of the game."

How to become a part of Boston Legacy FC history

Fans looking to take part in NWSL history can snag seats to the first-ever Boston Legacy match at 12:30 PM ET on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

Tickets to the expansion club's debut are currently on sale at BostonLegacyFC.com.