Florida junior Skye Blakely (above) earns her fourth World Championships berth; signee Dulcy Caylor joins the U.S. delegation as the traveling replacement athlete. [Photo: Lloyd Smith]
World Stage, Gator Ties: Blakely and Caylor Head to Rotterdam
Thursday, October 1, 2026 | Gymnastics
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Skye Blakely is headed back to the world stage — and another athlete with Gator ties is making the trip.
The Florida junior and two-time world team gold medalist was named Thursday to the five-member U.S. women's team for the 2026 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, set for Oct. 17-25 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Florida signee Dulcy Caylor will accompany the team as the traveling replacement athlete.
This will be Blakely's fourth World Championships appearance. She helped the U.S. win team gold in 2022 and 2023, placed fifth in the 2022 balance beam final and finished fourth in the 2025 uneven bars final.
Caylor made her Worlds debut alongside Blakely in 2025, advancing to the all-around, balance beam and floor exercise finals. She finished sixth on floor and eighth on beam. The 2025 championships featured individual competition only, with no team event.
Claire Pease and Charleigh Bullock secured the two automatic roster spots through a composite all-around ranking that weighted the first day of the selection event at 60% and their combined results from the 2026 U.S. Championships at 40%.
Athletes could compete on up to two apparatus Thursday, the final day of the selection event. The Athlete Selection Committee named Blakely, Reese Esponda and Hezly Rivera to complete the team. Caylor was selected as the traveling replacement athlete and Jade Carey was named the nontraveling replacement athlete.
NCAA Influence on U.S. Worlds Roster
Prior to the 2022 World Championships, just six competed as a collegiate and was part of the U.S. World Championships team in the same calendar year. Skye Blakely is the only member of the U.S. 2026 World Team who is a NCAA / World Championships double.
Florida is the only program with a gymnast on the last three U.S. World Championships roster.
Of the Gators currently enrolled at UF, Blakely is among three to compete at a World Championships. Kayla DiCello (2021, 2023 replacement athlete) also represented the U.S. in World Championships action. Blakely (2022, 2023) and DiCello (2023) won team gold. DiCello took all-around bronze in 2021. Anya Pilgrim represented Barbados at the 2023 Worlds in Antwerp, Belgium.
World Championships Selection Event Results
Three athletes with Florida ties — Blakely, Caylor and Simone Rose — competed at the Sept. 30-Oct. 1 selection event.
Day 1 Scores
Day 2 Scores
About the Gators at the World Championships Selection Camp:
Skye Blakely
Blakely returned to elite all-around competition in August at the 2026 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, her first elite all-around appearance since the 2024 U.S. Championships.
She suffered a right Achilles tendon injury during podium training before the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. Just 199 days later, she made her collegiate debut on uneven bars in Florida's Jan. 10, 2025, season opener.
Blakely competed only on uneven bars and balance beam at the 2025 U.S. Championships before earning a spot on the four-member U.S. Worlds roster. She finished fourth in the uneven bars final.
At the 2026 U.S. Championships, Blakely won uneven bars silver and earned her sixth consecutive U.S. senior national team berth.
Dulcy Caylor
Caylor earned her first World Championships berth in 2025, advancing to the all-around, balance beam and floor exercise finals.
She recently won floor exercise gold at the 2026 Szombathely World Challenge Cup in Hungary. At the 2026 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, she finished sixth in the all-around and fifth on beam, earning her fifth consecutive U.S. senior national team berth.
Simone Rose
Rose earned her fourth consecutive U.S. senior national team berth in August at the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, where she tied for fourth on uneven bars.
She helped the U.S. win team gold at the 2026 Senior Pan American Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and added silver medals on uneven bars and balance beam.
In her second consecutive Jesolo Trophy appearance in Italy, Rose helped the U.S. win team gold in 2026. She also won balance beam bronze and finished fourth in the all-around.
Caylor and Rose signed with Florida in November in 2025. Caylor announced she will defer enrollment at UF to train for the 2028 U.S. Olympic Trials. Rose will be part of the Gators' 2027 roster.
The Florida junior and two-time world team gold medalist was named Thursday to the five-member U.S. women's team for the 2026 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, set for Oct. 17-25 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Florida signee Dulcy Caylor will accompany the team as the traveling replacement athlete.
This will be Blakely's fourth World Championships appearance. She helped the U.S. win team gold in 2022 and 2023, placed fifth in the 2022 balance beam final and finished fourth in the 2025 uneven bars final.
Caylor made her Worlds debut alongside Blakely in 2025, advancing to the all-around, balance beam and floor exercise finals. She finished sixth on floor and eighth on beam. The 2025 championships featured individual competition only, with no team event.
Claire Pease and Charleigh Bullock secured the two automatic roster spots through a composite all-around ranking that weighted the first day of the selection event at 60% and their combined results from the 2026 U.S. Championships at 40%.
Athletes could compete on up to two apparatus Thursday, the final day of the selection event. The Athlete Selection Committee named Blakely, Reese Esponda and Hezly Rivera to complete the team. Caylor was selected as the traveling replacement athlete and Jade Carey was named the nontraveling replacement athlete.
We proudly introduce the 2026 Women's World Championships Team, presented by @Xfinity ⤵️
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) October 1, 2026
⭐️ Skye Blakely
⭐️ Charleigh Bullock
⭐️ Reese Esponda
⭐️ Claire Pease
⭐️ Hezly Rivera
Traveling Replacement Athlete: Dulcy Caylor
Non-Traveling Replacement Athlete: Jade Carey pic.twitter.com/DrzciOWX6r
NCAA Influence on U.S. Worlds Roster
Prior to the 2022 World Championships, just six competed as a collegiate and was part of the U.S. World Championships team in the same calendar year. Skye Blakely is the only member of the U.S. 2026 World Team who is a NCAA / World Championships double.
Florida is the only program with a gymnast on the last three U.S. World Championships roster.
| Gymnasts Competing at College / Worlds in Same Calendar Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | ||
| Skye Blakey | Florida | 2025, 2026 |
| Joscelyn Roberson | Arkansas | 2025 |
| Leanne Wong | Florida | 2022, 2023, 2025 |
| Kayla DiCello | Florida | 2023 (replacement athlete) |
| Jade Carey | Oregon State | 2022 |
| Jordan Chiles | UCLA | 2022 |
| MyKayla Skinner | Utah | 2019 |
| Brenna Dowell | Oklahoma | 2015 |
| Alicia Sacramone | Brown | 2007 |
| Mohini Bhardwaj | UCLA | 2001 |
| Kelly Garrison Steves | Oklahoma | 1987 |
| Kathy Johnson Clarke | Centenary | 1979 |
Of the Gators currently enrolled at UF, Blakely is among three to compete at a World Championships. Kayla DiCello (2021, 2023 replacement athlete) also represented the U.S. in World Championships action. Blakely (2022, 2023) and DiCello (2023) won team gold. DiCello took all-around bronze in 2021. Anya Pilgrim represented Barbados at the 2023 Worlds in Antwerp, Belgium.
World Championships Selection Event Results
Three athletes with Florida ties — Blakely, Caylor and Simone Rose — competed at the Sept. 30-Oct. 1 selection event.
| Gators' World Championships Selection Event Results | ||
|---|---|---|
| Skye Blakely | Sept. 30 | Oct. 1 |
| Vault | 14.45 | |
| Bars | 14.55 | 14.40 |
| Beam | 14.25 | 13.25 |
| Floor | 13.25 | |
| All-Around | 56.50 (2) | |
| Dulcy Caylor | ||
| Vault | 13.75 | |
| Bars | 13.30 | |
| Beam | 13.80 | 13.25 |
| Floor | 12.90 | 13.15 |
| All-Around | 53.75 (5) | |
| Simone Rose | ||
| Vault | 13.60 | |
| Bars | 12.70 | 12.95 |
| Beam | 12.80 | 13.65 |
| Floor | 12.85 | |
| All-Around | 51.95 (10) | |
Day 1 Scores
Day 2 Scores
About the Gators at the World Championships Selection Camp:
Skye Blakely
Blakely returned to elite all-around competition in August at the 2026 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, her first elite all-around appearance since the 2024 U.S. Championships.
She suffered a right Achilles tendon injury during podium training before the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. Just 199 days later, she made her collegiate debut on uneven bars in Florida's Jan. 10, 2025, season opener.
Blakely competed only on uneven bars and balance beam at the 2025 U.S. Championships before earning a spot on the four-member U.S. Worlds roster. She finished fourth in the uneven bars final.
At the 2026 U.S. Championships, Blakely won uneven bars silver and earned her sixth consecutive U.S. senior national team berth.
Dulcy Caylor
Caylor earned her first World Championships berth in 2025, advancing to the all-around, balance beam and floor exercise finals.
She recently won floor exercise gold at the 2026 Szombathely World Challenge Cup in Hungary. At the 2026 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, she finished sixth in the all-around and fifth on beam, earning her fifth consecutive U.S. senior national team berth.
Simone Rose
Rose earned her fourth consecutive U.S. senior national team berth in August at the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, where she tied for fourth on uneven bars.
She helped the U.S. win team gold at the 2026 Senior Pan American Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and added silver medals on uneven bars and balance beam.
In her second consecutive Jesolo Trophy appearance in Italy, Rose helped the U.S. win team gold in 2026. She also won balance beam bronze and finished fourth in the all-around.
Caylor and Rose signed with Florida in November in 2025. Caylor announced she will defer enrollment at UF to train for the 2028 U.S. Olympic Trials. Rose will be part of the Gators' 2027 roster.
| 2026 World Championships' schedule | |
|---|---|
| Oct. 18-19 Women's Team Qualification | U.S. competes Oct. 18 in Subdivision 1 (start event: floor) at 10 a.m. ET |
| Oct. 21 Women's Team Final | 1 p.m. ET |
| Oct. 23 Women's All-Around Final | 1:30 p.m. ET |
| Oct. 24 Women's Vault & Uneven Bars | 8 a.m. ET |
| Oct. 25 Women's Balance Beam & Floor Exercise Final | 8 a.m. ET |
Players Mentioned
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