France and Ireland Unveil World Championship Rosters as the Road to LA 2028 Begins in Rotterdam

The board is officially being set for the biggest gymnastics meet of the year. With the 2026 FIG World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam just weeks away, national federations are locking in the rosters that will take the first crucial step toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The stakes in the Netherlands from October 17 to 25 are massive. Under the international qualification framework, the top three teams in both the men’s and women’s finals will secure an automatic, full five-gymnast berth for LA 2028. That urgency has accelerated roster decisions across Europe and the Americas this week, as programs finalize their nominative registrations and prepare their athletes for the intense pressure of the world stage.[2]

On September 23, the French Gymnastics Federation unveiled its women’s team, headlined by Lorette Charpy, Elena Colas, Morgane Osyssek-Reimer, Maïana Prat, and Célia Serber. The men’s squad brings veteran firepower with Samir Ait Said, Anthony Mansard, and Cameron Lie Bernard. France is looking to solidify its standing early in the quadrennial, aiming to build a sustainable pipeline after the immense pressure of hosting the Paris Games. The federation's selections reflect a blend of experienced competitors who have navigated the Olympic spotlight and younger talent eager to establish themselves on the senior circuit before the next Games.[2]

Gymnastics Ireland followed suit earlier in the week, cementing its own travel plans. "Gymnastics Ireland is proud to announce the Artistic Gymnastics team for the upcoming 2026 World Championships," the federation stated on September 21, confirming a seven-athlete delegation. Pommel horse king Rhys McClenaghan leads the men’s side alongside Eamon Montgomery and Adam Steele, while Emma Slevin and Mimi Moloney anchor the women’s roster. The Irish program has seen steady growth over the last two Olympic cycles, and this roster represents one of their most competitive international squads to date, poised to challenge the traditional European powerhouses.[1]

For apparatus specialists like McClenaghan, Rotterdam represents a prime opportunity to capture individual world titles while the team chases critical qualification points. The Irish delegation will also bring two coaches for the men and two for the women, underscoring the growing footprint of the program on the global stage. Individual event finals often provide the most dramatic moments of the World Championships, as specialists who may not compete in the all-around pour all their focus and difficulty value into a single, flawless routine on their signature apparatus.[1]

While European teams are finalizing their travel manifests, the United States is taking a split approach to its roster construction. The U.S. men’s five-person team was locked in back in August following the Xfinity U.S. Championships in Phoenix. That squad features all-around champion Fred Richard, Shane Wiskus, Danila Leykin, Kameron Nelson, and Patrick Hoopes, with Yul Moldauer and Cooper Kim traveling as alternates to provide depth in case of injury. The men's program has emphasized consistency and high execution scores throughout the domestic season, aiming to secure their Olympic berth on the first attempt in Rotterdam.

The U.S. women, however, are heading into a high-stakes selection camp from September 29 to October 1 in Crossville, Tennessee. A 15-person roster was invited late last month, headlined by Olympic gold medalists Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera, alongside veterans like Skye Blakely and Leanne Wong. The camp environment is famously intense, requiring athletes to prove their readiness through multiple days of rigorous verification routines. The selection committee will evaluate not just individual scoring potential, but how different athletes' strengths complement each other to maximize the team's total output across all four apparatuses.

Only five women will punch their tickets to the Netherlands, making the domestic camp one of the most competitive meets of the fall. Carey brings the experience of a seven-time world medalist, while younger athletes like the 17-year-old Reese Esponda are looking to make their first senior world team. The selection committee will have to balance proven international scoring potential against the sheer difficulty values being thrown by the rising domestic stars. The final five chosen will carry the heavy expectation of maintaining American dominance in the women's team competition on the world stage.

The grueling nature of the international calendar has also led to notable absences from the nominative rosters, highlighting the physical and mental toll of the sport. Australian standout Heath Thorpe previously announced he would miss the remainder of the 2026 season, including Rotterdam, to prioritize his mental health. "I've made the decision to step back from competing for the remainder of 2026," Thorpe wrote in a public statement. "I had exceeded my capacity, both as an athlete and, most importantly, as a human." His withdrawal underscores the intense demands placed on gymnasts who are expected to peak multiple times a year.[3]

The 2026 World Championships also mark a return to the strict five-gymnast team format, down from the six-athlete rosters seen at some events in the previous cycle. With only eight teams advancing to the team finals in Rotterdam, the margin for error in the qualification rounds is razor-thin. As the final nominative registrations roll in, the field of roughly 500 gymnasts from over 70 nations is nearly set. For the athletes named this week, the focus shifts entirely to the podium in Rotterdam—and the direct flight to Los Angeles that comes with it.[2]