Manila Esposito arrives in Zagreb, Croatia this week chasing a third straight all-around gold at the 2026 European Gymnastics Championships ahead of Olympic gymnastics qualifiers for LA 28.
2026 European Gymnastics Championships Kick Off in Croatia
The 19-year-old Italian already owns the 2024 and 2025 continental crowns. But on Thursday, she opens competition in pursuit of one more at Arena Zagreb, which hosts the meet for the first time this year.
Her toughest test will be reigning world all-around champion Angelina Melnikova. The Russian's start was in doubt after Croatia initially denied visas to nine members of her delegation. Melnikova and Anna Kalmykova cleared that hurdle this week after diplomatic talks. Olympic champion Viktoria Listunova was unable to secure a reversal of her visa denial.
Still, the rest of the European field runs deep.
Esposito's Italian teammate Alice D'Amato, the Paris 2024 balance beam champion, is entered along with Britain's Becky Downie. Downie, 34, returns to international competition for the first time since Paris after injuries sidelined her the past few years. And France's Elena Colas also debuts at the senior continental level this week.
European Gymnastics Championships Previews LA 28
The tournament is scheduled to move quickly with Thursday's senior all-around and team qualification giving way to Saturday's apparatus finals and Sunday's senior team final. Eurovision Sports will stream all senior finals.
Beyond the medals, Zagreb offers an early read on the LA 28 pecking order. Another European crown would cement Esposito as the continent's top all-around contender heading into the next Olympic gymnastics cycle.
Hezly Rivera clawed back from fourth place to defend her all-around crown at the 2026 US Gymnastics Championships in Phoenix on Sunday. The Olympic gold medalist closed with 111.950 points to repeat as national champion.
Hezly Rivera Stages Stunning Comeback in Phoenix
Rivera trailed by more than a point after Day 1, dropped there by an early slip on uneven bars.
She flipped the meet in the final rotations, anchored by a balance beam gold at 28.700. Her 14.400 vault stood as the highest single-vault mark of the night. A 28.300 on floor exercise sealed silver on that apparatus and lifted her past the field.
The 17-year-old is just the second American woman in 13 years to repeat as senior all-around champion, after Simone Biles.
Rivera's Road to the 2026 World Championships
World Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA) teammate Claire Pease took all-around silver with 110.800 and won the uneven bars title. Charleigh Bullock earned bronze with a steady 110.550. Reese Esponda claimed the floor crown, and Olympic champion Jade Carey won vault gold.
Rivera and Pease earned automatic invites to the 2026 World Selection Event this fall. That meet sets the roster for the World Championships in Rotterdam from October 17-25.
Leanne Wong has withdrawn from the 2026 US Gymnastics Championships after hyperextending her knee in podium training.
The two-time world all-around silver medalist shared the news Wednesday on Instagram, two days before USA Gymnastics hopefuls open competition. Her exit removes a top contender from the field in Phoenix.
Why Leanne Wong Withdrew From the US Gymnastics Championships
The injury happened Tuesday, one day before the meet began. Wong had been preparing for Friday and Sunday's rotations. Now, the USA Gymnastics event moves ahead without one of its most decorated returners.
"This isn’t how I wanted this week to go, but I trust that God’s plan is greater than my own. Thank you all for the love and support," Wong wrote. "I'm looking forward to what's ahead and trusting the process."
The knee setback caps a rough summer for Wong. She first tweaked her wrist ahead of the July 18th US Classic and competed only on beam. She fell during that routine and scored an 11.9, well out of her usual range.
Recovery from the injury had already cut into her prep window heading into Phoenix.
Still, her season may not be over. Wong remains eligible to petition into the world selection competition in late September. That path could keep her on track for October's World Championships roster.
Some of the most promising names in USA Gymnastics head to Phoenix this week for the 2026 US Gymnastics Championships. Over 100 athletes are slated to compete August 6-9, chasing both national titles and Worlds roster spots ahead of the 2028 LA Olympics.
The Road to LA28 Starts in Phoenix
Jade Carey headlines the women's field in her hometown.
The Oregon State alum hasn't competed at nationals since 2024, but she brings Olympic floor gold from Tokyo 2020 and a team gold medal from Paris 2024. A US all-around title is the one thing missing, and this year's competition may be her best shot.
Who's Competing for the USA Gymnastics All-Around Title?
Her biggest competition, defending champion Hezly Rivera, arrives with a fitness question mark. She pulled out of June's Pan American Championships with a hamstring issue after her first vault. When healthy, the 18-year-old holds four of five individual titles from 2025. But injury limitations could open the door for her peers.
And Skye Blakely is first in line.
The Florida gymnast took bars and beam at last month's US Classic and will go all-around at nationals for the first time since an Achilles injury ended her Paris Olympics bid. Claire Pease and Reese Esponda round out the contenders, with Pan Am and US Classic all-around wins between them.
The meet doubles as a qualifier for October's Worlds in Rotterdam, and with LA28 under two years out, every routine counts toward the next Olympics roster.
Fans can stream most of the competition live on Peacock.
Jordan Chiles is bringing her bold personal style to gymnastics apparel. The two-time Olympian teamed up with Nike and GK Elite to create her first signature leotard collection, released July 15th. Two-time World Team Champion Skye Blakely debuted her own line alongside Chiles on the same day.
Jordan Chiles Nike Leotards: Flo-Jo Inspiration & Design Details
The Jordan Chiles Nike collection draws from fashion and pop culture, with a one-legged silhouette inspired by track legend Florence Griffith Joyner. Dynamic color blocking and a prominent logo Swoosh round out the look.
"Pinch me!" Chiles wrote on Instagram, sharing photos of her collection. "A dream turned into a leo. This collection is all about showing up boldly, competing fearlessly, and bringing your whole self to the floor."
How Skye Blakely Sketched Her Nike Line
Blakely, meanwhile, took a different creative approach. She brought original hand sketches to the design process and leaned into feminine color palettes paired with clean cuts.
Both athletes played a hands-on role throughout development. They tested fit, materials, and trims to make sure each piece holds up in training and competition. Every leotard also carries the athlete's signature stamped directly onto the garment.
Jordan Chiles's gymnastics line and Blakely's collection are available at Nike.com.
Katelyn Ohashi's comeback bid and Jade Carey's shot at another title both came up short Saturday at the 2026 US Classic in Hartford, Connecticut. Instead, it was 17-year-old Reese Esponda who walked away with the all-around crown.
Reese Esponda Claims U.S. Classic All-Around Title Over Jade Carey
Esponda posted a 54.900 to edge Carey (54.050) and Zoey Molomo (53.900). Still recovering from a foot injury earlier this season, Esponda sealed the win with a 14.150 double-twisting Yurchenko vault in the final rotation and also took the floor exercise title.
Carey, meanwhile, earned top honors on vault as she continues a steady return to elite US gymnastics competition. Skye Blakely added two more event wins, taking uneven bars (14.100) and balance beam (14.250).
Katelyn Ohashi Misses Gymnastics Nationals Qualifying Threshold
Then there was Ohashi. The former UCLA star and viral sensation needed a 26.800 combined score across two apparatuses to qualify for August's US Championships in Phoenix.
After adjusting her routine alongside former coach Valorie Kondos Field, she posted matching 13.200 scores on beam and floor, just 0.400 points short. Ohashi returned to elite competition last month after seven years away and has said she plans to keep training toward 2027.
"I feel like I had a really solid meet," Ohashi said. "I'm so proud of everything I've done this year."
Simone Biles made the ESPY 2026 Awards her runway on Wednesday night in New York City. The 29-year-old arrived at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater in a champagne high-low gown styled by Marc Desir.
Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens Make Statement on ESPYs 2026 Red Carpet
The cut was paired with strappy heels, soft glam makeup, flowing curls, and a statement necklace to complete the red carpet look. Beside her, husband Indianapolis Colts safety Jonathan Owens coordinated in an all-brown suit as the two posed for photographs hand-in-hand.
Once inside, Biles swapped her gown for a black body-hugging dress with a deep-plunge neckline and gold embellishments. She then took the stage to present Best Team, naming the New York Knicks as the winner.
An Olympic Legend Returns to the Spotlight After Health Scare
The outing came just weeks after Biles posted about a medical emergency she called one of the "scariest experiences" of her life.
"Almost dying wasn't on my bingo card earlier this week," Biles shared on her Instagram story, promising she'd share more updates when she was ready.
The incident happened while Owens was away at offseason practice for the Colts. She's kept a lower profile since. Still, the record-setting gymnast appeared at ease all evening during last night's ESPY Awards.
Suni Lee is shooting for another Olympic run, as the decorated gymnast is officially rejoining USA Gymnastics ahead of LA28.
The 23-year-old Auburn alum has won six Olympic medals. Her collection includes all-around gold in Tokyo and team gold in Paris.
Lee’s return caps a remarkable arc. A 2023 chronic kidney disease diagnosis nearly ended her gymnastics career and forced her to step away from collegiate competition.
After entering remission in 2024, Lee will chronicle her comeback in a forthcoming documentary produced by Fanatics Studios.
“I know there’s more in me, and this is my chance to challenge myself, test my limits, and see what I’m truly capable of,” she said.
Simone Biles is resting at home after a medical emergency she described as a near-death experience brought her to the hospital. The 29-year-old Olympic gymnast shared details of the health scare on her Instagram Stories earlier this week.
"Almost dying wasn't on my bingo card earlier this week," Biles wrote, calling it one of the scariest experiences of her life.
The crisis happened while her husband, Indianapolis Colts safety Jonathan Owens, was away at offseason NFL practice.
USA Olympic Legend Shares Recovery Update After Hospital
Despite the severity of the scare, Biles assured fans she is safely back home. She posted photos of herself resting in bed alongside her two French bulldogs, Lilo and Rambo.
Friends and family quickly filled her room with bouquets to show support.
Biles has not yet disclosed what caused the emergency. Still, she promised to share more information once she fully recovers. For now, the most decorated gymnast in USA Olympic and World Championship history is focused on rest.
Simone Biles's Summer Olympics Future Remains Uncertain
The health scare adds another layer of uncertainty to Biles's Olympic gymnastics future. Even before this week's emergency, her status for the 2028 LA Games remained unclear.
"Whether on the apparatus or in the stands, I still don't know that," she told French sports outlet L'Equipe in April 2025. "But 2028 seems so far away, and my body is aging. I felt it in Paris."
Biles continued her noncommittal stance during a January 2026 appearance on TODAY.
"If I have to say anything, I'm just like, 'Give me a little bit more time to recover, mentally, physically,'" she said. "We got a little bit more things to do and then we'll see."
For now, fans worldwide are sending well-wishes as she heals.
Jordyn Wieber resigned as head coach of Arkansas gymnastics on Monday after seven seasons leading the Razorbacks, with assistant Chris Brooks promoted as her replacement effective immediately.
Wieber departs to focus on family and pursue other interests after transforming Arkansas into an NCAA gymnastics powerhouse. The decision marks the end of an era for a program that reached unprecedented heights under her leadership.
"Serving as head coach of Arkansas Gymnastics has been an honor," Wieber said in a team statement. "I'm deeply grateful to our student-athletes, staff, and Razorback fans for an unforgettable journey. With a heavy, but full heart and immense pride in what we have accomplished, I'm stepping away from athletics."
Jordyn Wieber guided Arkansas gymnastics to two national championship appearances during her tenure, while earning 30 All-America honors and 40 All-SEC selections. Every one of the program's Top 10 all-time team scores came during the Wieber era.
The Razorbacks also set attendance records under her leadership. The program drew 15,512 fans to Bud Walton Arena on March 6th — a new program and SEC gymnastics high. Arkansas ranked in the Top 10 nationally in average attendance every season.
Brooks joined the program in 2019 alongside Wieber. He served as the primary uneven bars coach, helping guide the Razorbacks to eight of the program's best 13 bars scores in history.
The former two-time national champion with Oklahoma brings Olympic gymnastics experience to the role. Brooks competed as an alternate at the 2012 London Games before captaining the 2016 US men's team in Rio de Janeiro.