Skye Blakely is the first ever to compete as a collegiate and win World Championships all-around gold in the same calendar year. [Photos: USA Gymnastics]
Friday, October 23, 2026 | Gymnastics
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Florida junior Skye Blakely made gymnastics history Friday, winning the all-around gold medal at the 2026 World Gymnastics Championships at Rotterdam Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Blakely became the first gymnast to compete in NCAA gymnastics and win a world all-around title in the same calendar year. She also joins Gator grad Leanne Wong as the only gymnasts to medal in the world all-around final in the same year they competed collegiately. Wong claimed silver in 2025.
The championship marks another milestone in Blakely's remarkable comeback from a right Achilles tendon injury that ended her hopes of competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She opened with a 14.200 on vault, the second-highest score of the final, before posting a 14.400 on uneven bars and a 14.200 on balance beam. Both ranked third among the finalists. Blakely closed with a 12.933 on floor exercise to secure the world title.
Liudmila Roshchina of Russia took silver with a 55.199, followed by China's Qinqin Ke in bronze-medal position at 55.032. American Claire Pease finished seventh at 54.232.
Blakely entered Friday's final as the second-highest qualifier.
The injury kept her from competing for a place on the U.S. team for the Paris Olympics, but Blakely returned to competition as a Gator in Florida's Jan. 10, 2025, season opener, making her collegiate debut on uneven bars.
She continued building toward an elite return while competing for Florida. She competed just uneven bars and balance beam at the 20205 Xfinity U.S. Championships, sharing the bars win and taking second on beam. She went on the earn a spot on the U.S.'s roster for the 2025 World Championships, also competing bars and beam.
In August 2026, Blakely returned to elite all-around competition at the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, her first elite all-around appearance since the 2024 U.S. Championships. She earned silver on uneven bars and secured her sixth consecutive U.S. senior national team berth.
Her return to the world stage has now produced the biggest individual title of her elite career.
She is the only gymnast at the 2026 championships to qualify for four individual finals — all-around, vault, uneven bars and balance beam.
With the all-around gold secured, Blakely returns to competition Saturday for the vault and uneven bars finals. She closes her championships Sunday in the balance beam final.
The 2026 championships mark Blakely's fourth senior World Championships appearance. She previously helped the United States win team gold in 2022 and 2023 and added team silver in 2026. Her previous individual world results include fifth on balance beam in 2022 and fourth on uneven bars in 2025.
Blakely is also the fourth gymnast to reach a World Championships all-around final for the United States after competing collegiately earlier that year.
Blakely is the only member of the U.S. 2026 World Team who is a NCAA / World Championships double.
2026 FIG World Championships Schedule - Women
Senior women's competition schedule (Finals stream on Peacock in the U.S):
Tape Delay airing:
Sunday, Oct. 25 | Noon ET | NBC
Visit the FIG website or the official competition website for all information on the championships. Fans may also visit USA Gymnastics' history page for detailed information and facts about past championships.
Blakely became the first gymnast to compete in NCAA gymnastics and win a world all-around title in the same calendar year. She also joins Gator grad Leanne Wong as the only gymnasts to medal in the world all-around final in the same year they competed collegiately. Wong claimed silver in 2025.
The championship marks another milestone in Blakely's remarkable comeback from a right Achilles tendon injury that ended her hopes of competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Golden Performance
Competing in her first World Championships all-around final, Blakely delivered four strong routines to finish with a winning total of 55.733.She opened with a 14.200 on vault, the second-highest score of the final, before posting a 14.400 on uneven bars and a 14.200 on balance beam. Both ranked third among the finalists. Blakely closed with a 12.933 on floor exercise to secure the world title.
Liudmila Roshchina of Russia took silver with a 55.199, followed by China's Qinqin Ke in bronze-medal position at 55.032. American Claire Pease finished seventh at 54.232.
Blakely entered Friday's final as the second-highest qualifier.
A Championship Comeback
Friday's gold is the latest achievement in Blakely's return to elite gymnastics following a right Achilles tendon injury suffered during podium training at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials.The injury kept her from competing for a place on the U.S. team for the Paris Olympics, but Blakely returned to competition as a Gator in Florida's Jan. 10, 2025, season opener, making her collegiate debut on uneven bars.
She continued building toward an elite return while competing for Florida. She competed just uneven bars and balance beam at the 20205 Xfinity U.S. Championships, sharing the bars win and taking second on beam. She went on the earn a spot on the U.S.'s roster for the 2025 World Championships, also competing bars and beam.
In August 2026, Blakely returned to elite all-around competition at the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, her first elite all-around appearance since the 2024 U.S. Championships. She earned silver on uneven bars and secured her sixth consecutive U.S. senior national team berth.
Her return to the world stage has now produced the biggest individual title of her elite career.
More Medals Within Reach
Blakely's World Championships are not finished.She is the only gymnast at the 2026 championships to qualify for four individual finals — all-around, vault, uneven bars and balance beam.
With the all-around gold secured, Blakely returns to competition Saturday for the vault and uneven bars finals. She closes her championships Sunday in the balance beam final.
The 2026 championships mark Blakely's fourth senior World Championships appearance. She previously helped the United States win team gold in 2022 and 2023 and added team silver in 2026. Her previous individual world results include fifth on balance beam in 2022 and fourth on uneven bars in 2025.
Gators Continue to Make World Championships History
Blakely and Wong are the only gymnasts to earn world all-around medals in the same calendar year they competed in NCAA gymnastics, with Wong winning silver in 2025 and Blakely claiming gold in 2026.Blakely is also the fourth gymnast to reach a World Championships all-around final for the United States after competing collegiately earlier that year.
| Name | School | NCAA/Worlds Same Year | All-Around Final Finish |
| Skye Blakey | Florida | 2025, 2026 | Gold (2026) |
| Leanne Wong | Florida | 2022, 2023, 2025 | Silver (2025) |
| Jade Carey | Oregon State | 2022 | 6th (2022) |
| Mohini Bhardwaj | UCLA | 2001 | 18th (2001) |
Blakely is the only member of the U.S. 2026 World Team who is a NCAA / World Championships double.
2026 FIG World Championships Schedule - Women
Senior women's competition schedule (Finals stream on Peacock in the U.S):
- Saturday, Oct. 24 | 8 a.m. ET | Vault & Uneven Bars Final | Peacock
- Sunday, Oct. 25 | 8 a.m. ET | Balance Beam & Floor Exercise Final | Peacock
Tape Delay airing:
Sunday, Oct. 25 | Noon ET | NBC
Visit the FIG website or the official competition website for all information on the championships. Fans may also visit USA Gymnastics' history page for detailed information and facts about past championships.
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