GymCastic: The Gymnastics Podcast

The 2026 U.S. women's World Championships team is set: Skye Blakely, Charleigh Bullock, Reese Esponda, Claire Pease and Hezly Rivera, with Dulcy Caylor as traveling alternate and Jade Carey as non-traveling alternate. Fresh off Day Two of World Team Trials in Tennessee, Jessica and Spencer break down why the five is the team, debate Jade's Cheng and the alternate decision, and run a lightning round on Rotterdam qualification and team final lineups.
This teaser is just the beginning of our weekly Behind the Scenes live Q&A. Club Gym Nerd members get the full 83-minute episode, ad-free: Jessica becomes tech support for the judges, Shilese Jones' comeback news, Rotterdam live show plans, gymnastics' floor music "Lore Horses," the case for the comebacks and more. Join Club Gym Nerd.
You pick the topic. We make the episode. Enter our Full Commission Raffle by October 9.
Brought to you by Sand and Sea Travel. Use code GYMCASTICWORLDS.
Chapters
00:00 The 2026 U.S. Worlds Team Is Set
01:51 Jade Carey's Cheng and No Upgrades on Concrete
04:36 Day Two Recap: Claire Pease and Charleigh Bullock on Beam
07:20 Dulcy Caylor vs. Jade Carey: The Alternate Debate
13:35 Lightning Round: Worlds Qualification and Team Final Lineups
21:27 New: World Headquarters, Score Explorer and Roster Lab
24:13 The Commission Raffle, Rotterdam Tee and How to Support Us
Links
U.S. Worlds Team Announcement
GymCastic 2026 Worlds Headquarters
Elite Score Explorer | LA 2028 Roster Lab
Join Club Gym Nerd | Episode page

Claire Pease and Charleigh Bullock are going to Worlds! Reporting from Tennessee, we break down Day One of the 2026 U.S. Women's World Team Trials: Pease's upgrades, Bullock's crucial bars performance, Hezly Rivera's recovery after two bars falls, Skye Blakely's standout day, and what happens next for Jade Carey, Reese Esponda and the three remaining team spots.
This teaser is just the beginning. Join Club Gym Nerd for the full ad-free episode, athlete interviews, behind-the-scenes camp stories, deeper team predictions and our live Q&A.
You pick the topic. We make the episode. Enter our full commission raffle by October 9—the only way to commission a full GymCastic episode right now.
Our on-site reporting is supported by Sand & Sea Travel.
And also:
HUEL – Make healthy eating simple. Get 15% OFF Huel online with code GYMCASTIC. New customers only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show!

We preview the 2026 U.S. World Team Selection Camp, including the automatic qualification race, t; catch up on Worlds withdrawals, new team announcements and Asian Games. Then we dive into your feedback and questions about spironolactone and drug testing, a Tokyo Olympics rewatch, GymCastic lore, potential shortage of U.S. Brevet judges and more 
Want to win a full commissioned episode? Enter our raffle by October 9th! This is the only way to commission a full episode. We will draw the winner at Worlds in Rotterdam!
RELATED LINKS
Listen to our interview with Andrew Chupp: Adult Gymnastics Revolution
New to the show? Get caught up on inside jokes, terminology and show history with the GymCastic Lore explainer in the forum
Learn the origin story behind our sign-off in Behind The Scenes: Why We Take Off on Gay
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Welcome to Behind The Scenes
03:15 – World Team Withdrawals & Breaking News
09:45 – Asian Games Drama
23:53 – U.S. World Team Selection Camp Preview
27:12 – Automatic Spots & Team Contenders
31:52 – Jade Carey, Upgrades & Team Scenarios 4
6:11 – Gymnastics Feelings: Hengameh Hadiani of Iran 
01:00:59 – Spironolactone, PCOS & Drug Testing
01:02:52 – Rewatching the 2021 Tokyo Olympics
01:08:49 – GymCastic Lore & U.S. Brevet Judges
01:12:42 – Carlos Yulo & Asian Games Feedback
01:13:23 – Women's Health & Happy Things
01:16:30 – Selection Camp Coverage & What's Next  
SUPPORT OUR WORK
Ad Free Podcasts with Club Gym Nerd: Join Club Gym Nerd for weekly live Behind the Scenes Q&A episodes, our complete members-only archive, games, the forum and live-show discounts.
Gear Up For Rotterdam World Championships: Shop merch
Thank you Sand & Sea!  Sand & Sea Travel special GymCastic partner offer for Worlds 2026
GYMCASTIC TOOLS, GAMES AND RESOURCES
*NEW* ROTTERDAM WORLDS ROSTER TRACKER Find out who's competing in the 2026 World Championships — search WAG and MAG by name or country, find out how they qualified and link to their score rankings. Updated daily.

GymCastic tools: LA 2028 Roster Lab — Now with auto-fill highest-scoring team, team comparisons and updated roster briefs.
Elite Score Explorer — U.S. Championships scores are in, plus new charting options and the vault bonus toggle.
International Gymnastics Calendar

GymCastic Games
GymCastic Newsletters
The Balance Beam Situation: Spencer Barnes' GIF Code of Points
Gymnastics History: Gymnastics history and Code of Points archive from Uncle Tim
Resistance Resources

We predict the future! It's our annual pre-Worlds rules review, where we tell you exactly what kind of accidental gymnastics shenanigans might cost someone a medal.
Plus, Flavia Saraiva is somehow the Szombathely BARS champion, Dulcy Caylor wins floor, Rebeca Andrade returns on beam, and we examine the World Cup of "does anyone actually know what a layout vault is?"
WIN A FULL COMMISSION
The only way to commission a full GymCastic episode right now! You pick the topic, we make the episode, and the whole gymternet hears it. Enter by October 9: Enter the Full Commission Raffle
PRE-WORLDS RULES
When can a traveling alternate replace an injured gymnast?
Why vault remains the apparatus most likely to create chaos.
The Cheng two-hand problem.
Balked vaults: your life is apparently less important than completing the vault.
When you should — and absolutely should not — inquire.
The new post-Paris inquiry rules.
Why springboards are lava.
What happens if your coach gives you the WRONG springboard.
RELATED
Gym Nerd School 101: Rules, Skills, Myths & Gymnastics Lore
The Definitive Guide to the Paris Floor Bronze Medal Debacle
SZOMBATHELY WORLD CUP
Flavia Saraiva wins bars and beam gold plus floor silver.
Rebeca Andrade returns on beam.
Dulcy Caylor wins floor.
Tatum Drusch makes all four event finals.
Greta Mayer wins vault.
And the great Lopez/pike/layout debate continues.
2026 Worlds Roster Tracker — WAG and MAG, updated daily.
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Flavia Saraiva, Leanne Wong & Szombathely Headlines
08:02 – The Rules That Will Decide Worlds
17:04 – Vault Chaos: Chengs, Balks & Bonuses
26:28 – Good Rules: Unitards, Fall Time & Music
38:32 – To Inquire or Not to Inquire
47:54 – Dumb Rules & Springboard Sabotage
56:01 – Szombathely World Cup Deep Dive
01:14:33 – Asian Games, Paris World Cup & What's Next
UP NEXT
Friday at noon PT: Behind The Scenes — U.S. World Team Preview.
Next week: podcast from U.S. World Team Selection Camp in Tennessee.
Then: 10 podcasts from World Championships on site in Rotterdam.
SUPPORT OUR WORK
Club Gym Nerd: Join Club Gym Nerd for weekly Behind the Scenes episodes, our complete members-only archive, games, the forum and live-show discounts.
Shop GymCastic: Shop merch.
GYMCASTIC TOOLS, GAMES AND RESOURCES
GymCastic tools: LA 2028 Roster Lab — Now with auto-fill highest-scoring team, team comparisons and updated roster briefs.
Elite Score Explorer — U.S. Championships scores are in, plus new charting options and the vault bonus toggle.
International Gymnastics Calendar

GymCastic Games
GymCastic Newsletters
The Balance Beam Situation: Spencer Barnes' GIF Code of Points
Gymnastics History: Gymnastics history and Code of Points archive from Uncle Tim
Resistance Resources

SafeSport permanently banned Al Fong and Armine Barutyan-Fong; Arthur Akopian and Galina Marinova are facing yet another investigation; plus World Championships roster shockers and federation drama heading into Rotterdam.

We also sit down with new U.S. Center for SafeSport CEO and Olympic gold medalist Benita Fitzgerald Mosley to discuss regaining trust, data privacy, case timelines, reporting, resources and what she wants to change.

WIN A FULL COMMISSIONED EPISODE
You pick the topic. We record a full episode about it. This is currently the ONLY way to commission a full episode. Enter the raffle by October 9. We'll draw the winner at Worlds in Rotterdam!

HEADLINES
• Arthur Akopian and Galina Marinova are under investigation by SafeSport AGAIN, years after the Washington Post investigation.
• Al Fong and Armine Barutyan-Fong have been permanently banned by SafeSport.
• Ana Barbosu speaks out about leaving Romania, the Paris medal controversy and finding a healthier training environment in the U.S.
• Oksana Chusovitina declines her Worlds vault spot.
• North Korea declines its Worlds team spot; Malaysia takes its place.
• Taiwan's federation faces a government investigation after allegedly rejecting Worlds invitations for apparatus specialists.
• Yang Fanyuwei is left off China's Worlds team despite having one of the world's top bars scores.
• Georgia Godwin is not on Australia's Worlds team.
• Alice Kinsella returns to the all-around with a 53.900.

INTERVIEW: SAFESPORT CEO BENITA FITZGERALD MOSLEY
We discuss SafeSport's  data security, case timelines, investigations, reporting, prevention and the future of the Center.

SAFESPORT RESOURCES
• In-Person Training Resources
• Abuse Prevention Resources
• Centralized Disciplinary Database Update
• Extended SafeSport Hotline Hours
• SafeSport Investigator Fired After Arrest

GYMTERNET NEWS
• Nadia Comăneci joins the judging panel of "Românii au talent."
• The U.S. Classic returns to Hoffman Estates in July 2027.
• Virgin Atlantic becomes Team GB's official airline for LA28.

WHAT MEETS ARE ON?
• Szombathely World Cup — Sept. 18–20
• Asian Games — Sept. 21–24
• Paris World Cup — Sept. 26–27, the final FIG competition before Worlds.

CHAPTERS
00:00 – SafeSport Breaking News
01:40 – Akopian & Marinova Under Investigation Again
04:13 – Al Fong & Armine Barutyan-Fong Permanently Banned
07:00 – Ana Barbosu Speaks Out
09:50 – World Championships Drama
13:01 – Taiwan Federation Scandal
19:00 – China & Australia Worlds Roster Shockers
25:40 – Alice Kinsella's All-Around Return
31:39 – Full Commission Raffle & Club Gym Nerd
36:04 – SafeSport CEO Benita Fitzgerald Mosley
37:51 – Interview: The Future of SafeSport
01:29:00 – SafeSport Data Security Follow-Up
01:29:40 – gymternet News
01:34:47 – Upcoming Meets

SUPPORT OUR WORK
• Join Club Gym Nerd for ad-free episodes, weekly Behind the Scenes, our complete members-only archive, games, score tools, forum and live-show discounts.
• Shop GymCastic.

HUEL
Make healthy eating simple. Get 15% OFF online with code GYMCASTIC at huel.com/GYMCASTIC. New customers only. Thank you to Huel for partnering with and supporting our show!

GYMCASTIC TOOLS & RESOURCES
• LA 2028 Roster Lab
• Elite Score Explorer
• International Gymnastics Calendar
• GymCastic Games
• GymCastic Newsletters
• Resistance Resources