China claimed the women’s team title at the 2026 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands, ending a prolonged American dominance on the global stage. Led in qualifications by Quingying Zhang, the Chinese squad backed up their early form in the final to capture their second world team crown and their first since winning at Aarhus, Denmark, in 2006, rts.ch reported.

The victory halted a streak of seven world team titles by the United States. Despite competing without their most decorated stars—including Simone Biles, who has not officially retired but continues to leave questions surrounding the future of her competitive career—the American team mounted a determined defense, according to rts.ch reporting.

American and International Contenders Shape the Individual Fields

American gymnast Blakely emerged as a central figure throughout the Rotterdam competition. Having placed second in the qualification standings behind Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour, Blakely delivered impressive routines on both the vault and the balance beam, positioning herself as a primary contender for the individual all-around title, rts.ch noted.

Meanwhile, international competition produced notable apparatus results across the floor and beam. On the beam, Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour captured the world title with a routine scoring 14.566 points. China’s Qingying Zhang matched that exact 14.566 score but finished second due to a lower execution mark, while Brazil’s Flavia Saraiva rounded out the podium in third with 14.300 points, according to Radio-Canada reporting.

Canadian Gymnasts Secure Multiple Top-Six Finishes

Team Canada concluded its campaign at the Rotterdam Ahoy with several notable performances in individual apparatus and all-around finals, Gymnastics Canada announced on October 26, 2026. In the women’s vault final on October 24, Lia-Monica Fontaine narrowly missed the podium with a score of 14.083 to finish fourth, while teammate Ellie Black placed fifth with 13.966 points.

The Canadian squad maintained that momentum during the floor exercise final on October 25. Lia Redick secured fifth place with a score of 13.300, and Lia-Monica Fontaine finished sixth with 13.200 points. “Je suis vraiment contente de ma performance. Cinquième au monde à mes premiers Championnats du monde, c’est un accomplissement incroyable,” Redick told Radio-Canada Sports after the competition.

Earlier in the event schedule, Ellie Black placed 16th with a total of 52.532 and Lia Redick took 24th with 48.231 in the individual all-around final on October 23. In the men’s division, Sam Zakutney represented Canada in the all-around final on October 22, finishing 19th with a combined score of 77.432, according to Gymnastics Canada records.

Team Standings and Qualification for Future World Championships

Beyond individual apparatus battles, the Canadian women’s team earned an eighth-place finish in the team final with a combined total of 158.096 points. That performance secured an automatic qualification for Team Canada at the 2027 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Chengdu, China, as detailed by Gymnastics Canada.

In the broader European contingent, the Swiss women’s team failed to reach the team final. However, their 14th-place finish marked Switzerland’s best team result at the World Championships since 1983, rts.ch reported.