What hasn’t happened this week? Jade is so back, Algeria qualified a team to Worlds for the first time EVER, and NCAA coaching carousel news.

GymCastic Live: Featuring Chae Campbell

Replay tickets available → Get tickets here

PODCAST

HEADLINES

• All the coaching carousel news: Ryan Roberts to Auburn, Nicole Jones to Nebraska, Jordyn Wieber steps down from Arkansas
• It’s transfer season! Who is going where?
  • Confirmed
    • Ondine Achampong (Cal > Stanford)
    • Mya Wiley (Cal > Stanford)
    • Ariel Posen (Georgia > LSU)
    • Addison Bare (Arkansas > Maryland)
    • Cecilia Cooley (Denver > North Carolina)
    • Skyelar Kerico (Pennsylvania > LSU)
    • Jennifer McMillan (Oregon St > Missouri)
    • Lola Montevago (George Washington > Maryland)
    • Nyla Morabito (Utah State > Arkansas)
  • Iowa State refugee transfers
    • Noelle Adams (Arkansas)
    • Aubree Guinee (Minnesota)
    • Frederique Sgarbossa (Minnesota) 
    • Haylee Hardin (Clemson)
    • Ella Schell (Iowa)
    • Lauren O’Brochta (Utah State)
  • Notable gymnasts still in the portal
    • Joscelyn Roberson (Arkansas)
    • Jordyn Lyden (Minnesota) 
    • Ava Piedrahita (Penn State)
    • Anna Flynn Cashion (Kentucky)
    • Molly Brinkman (LSU)
    • Rylee Guevara (Ohio State)
    • Nicole King (Georgia)
• Ana Bărbosu faces suspension for whereabouts violation
  • Bărbosu was reportedly not found by agents twice in Romania and once in the United States
  • Bărbosu has not yet been suspended

AFRICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Nemour put up a humongous 15.566 on bars in qualifications with ANOTHER eponymous element (Nemour III??)
• Algeria qualified a whole team to Worlds along with five individual qualifiers: Caitlin Rooskrantz (RSA), Naveen Daries (RSA), Judy Abdalla (EGY, signed for Illinois), Jana Mahmoud (EGY), Salina Bousmayo (MAR)
  • Justice for Zelme Daries (RSA) and Jana Abdelsalam (EGY), who were 2-per-countried from a spot at Worlds
• How do teams qualify for a spot at the World Championships this year? Why should we care about each of the continental championships?

New Elements Everywhere

• The FIG confirmed three new elements from Osijek:
  • Gabriela Rodrigues Barbosa – Straddle circle with salto fwd piked with ½ turn – C
  • Athanasia Mesiri – Clear hip front layout dismount – D
  • Romane Hamelin – Toe pak – C

Russian Cup News

• Anna Kalmykova won the all-around title at Russian Cup
  • Lyudmilla Roschina finished second; Angelina Melnikova, the reigning World All-Around Champion, finished in third
• The latest Russian move in the gymnastics broadcast cold war: animated vaults
  • No checklist?
• All-Japan Championships
  • Nishiyama Misa is the all-around champion!
  • Should we be worried about Japan’s world team selection again?
    • The criteria for the Worlds team is top 4 AA + 1 specialist after the NHK Cup
      • Sugihara is in fifth, Miyata is in sixth, Nakamura is 8th (but with 14.6 beam)

GYMTERNET NEWS

• During security demonstrations to local police departments, Flock surveillance accessed footage from children’s gymnastics rooms, a playground, a school, a pool, and a Jewish community center
• Cooper Kim (Stanford) comes out publicly as gay
• Who are the newest inductees to USA Gymnastics’ Hall of Fame?
  • Courtney McCool Griffeth, Artistic
  • Kara Eaker, Artistic
  • Logan Dooley, T&T
  • Camilla Feeley, RG
  • Maren Merwarth & Jessica Renteria, Acro
  • Tim Klempnauer, Lifetime Achievement
• The 2028 U.S. Olympic Trials will be held in Louisville, Kentucky at the KFC Yum! Center from June 16-19
• Viktoria Listunova’s CAS appeal regarding the rejection of her neutral status is still ongoing
• Minnesota’s coaching staff was named 2026 National Coaches of the Year by the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association
• Jade Carey was named as Oregon State’s commencement speaker
• Schedule Change: The Olympic Council of Asia has agreed to coordinate the shift of the Summer Asian Games to the year before the Summer Olympic Games. If approved, the Doha 2030 Asian Games would move to 2031. This year’s Aichi-Nagoya Games will remain unchanged
• Nadia Comăneci received the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to her by someone by the name of Simone Biles
• Jordan Chiles is the 2026 AAI Winner!
  • Chiles joins four other Bruins, Vanessa Zamarripa in 2013; Jamie Dantzscher in 2004; Mohini Bhardwaj in 2001; and Donna Kemp in 1984 to win the award
• Dumpster Fire News
  • Sean Gardner, a former coach at Chow’s, plans to plead guilty to child pornography charges
  • Taiwanese coach suspended for two years:
    • Weng Shih-hang, former gymnastics coach of Taiwanese Olympic bronze medalist Tang Chia-hung has been suspended for two years by National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) following an investigation into the alleged bullying of students
• Congratulations to our Fantasy Gymnastics winner, Lily The Bruce Queen of Scots! 

What Meets are Next?

• This weekend:
  • Oceanic Championships
    • Georgia Godwin, Courtney McGregor
  • Varna World Cup
    • Max Whitlock, Abi Martin, Jennifer Williams
• Later in May:
  • NHK Cup
  • Chinese Championships
  • Serie A Final (Italy)
  • Canadian Championships
  • Tashkent World Challenge Cup
  • Koper World Challenge Cup

 Jump to your favorite topics below 

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Cold Open: Postseason Chaos, Jade Carey Returns & Wieber Leaves

00:59 – Jade Carey Comeback & Elite Impact

02:56 – Joscelyn Roberson Transfer Portal & NIL Strategy

05:07 – Cecile Takes Over Georgia + Coaching Power Shifts

06:18 – Jordyn Wieber Steps Down at Arkansas

10:40 – Algeria Makes History: First Women’s Worlds Team

13:16 – Coaching Carousel: Auburn, Nebraska, Georgia Shakeups

16:55 – Transfer Portal With Strong Bite Me Vibes: Cal → Stanford Fallout

20:03 – Ana Bărbosu Whereabouts Violation Update

24:06 – Live Show Promo + Chae Campbell 

27:34 – African Championships Deep Dive & Nemour Dominance

31:26 – Bars Arms Race: Nemour vs. Yang Fanyuwei

33:18 – Worlds Qualification System Explained (No Auto Spots!)

36:17 – Oceanic Champs Preview & “Sponsor Courtney McGregor” Campaign

39:32 – StoryWorth Ad

42:21 – New Uneven Bars Skills (Finally Named!)

50:12 – Russian Cup Results + Neutral Athlete Controversy

52:17 – Russian Broadcast Goes Full Video Game Mode

57:04 – Japan Rising Star Nishiyama Misa + Beam Artistry Masterclass

59:05 – Japan Team Selection Heartbreak Incoming

01:01:21 – Upcoming Meets to Watch (NHK, Pan Ams, Euros, Worlds Path)

01:03:26 – Gymternet News: Surveillance Cameras in Gyms

01:05:48 – Dumpster Fire News: Criminal Case & Coaching Abuse

01:07:47 – Hall of Fame + Olympic Trials 2028 Announcement

01:10:51 – Nadia, Simone & Laureus Awards Moment

01:12:33 – Fantasy League Winner + What’s Next

01:13:26 – Outro + Weekly BTS Reminder

01:13:41 – BTS Teaser: How the Chae Campbell Interview Really Happened

UP NEXT

• Behind The Scenes Fridays at noon Pacific

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