Young Gymnasts Earn World Championship Spots

Claire Pease and Charleigh Bullock have secured their places on the U.S. team for the World Gymnastics Championships, marking their debut at the international event. The two young gymnasts earned the initial two spots on the five-woman roster.

Their selection was finalized after a rigorous process combining results from the Xfinity U.S. Championships in August, weighted at 40%, and a crucial selection competition held recently in Crossville, Tennessee, weighted at 60%. This dual assessment determined their standing.

Both Pease, 17, and Bullock, 16, surpassed 2024 Olympian Hezly Rivera in the combined rankings. Rivera, the reigning U.S. all-around champion from August, experienced falls on the uneven bars during the selection event, impacting her scores.

Despite this setback, Rivera still has an opportunity to make her first world team. The remaining three team members will be chosen by a selection committee following the conclusion of the final day of competition on Thursday.

The World Gymnastics Championships are scheduled to take place in Rotterdam from October 17-25. This event will feature the first women's and men's team competitions at a global championship since the Paris Games. The 2025 World Championships will focus exclusively on individual events.

Pease, who trains with Rivera, demonstrated significant improvement, moving from 10th at the 2025 U.S. Championships to securing the runner-up position behind Rivera this year. Bullock's third-place finish at the U.S. Championships was her best since her senior debut season, making her the youngest U.S. gymnast at a worlds since 2018.

Other notable gymnasts vying for the remaining spots include two-time Olympic gold medalist Carey, who is returning to elite competition. Her expertise on floor exercise, where she won Olympic gold, and vault, a discipline she won at the 2022 Worlds, could be valuable. Skye Blakely, the 2024 U.S. all-around runner-up, is also a contender. Despite a recent Achilles tendon rupture, she has made a comeback. Additionally, 17-year-old Reese Esponda, strong on floor and vault, is among the new talents in contention.