This week, we dissect who’s in the hunt for individual event medals, obviously the most important phase of the competition. Who are the favorites? Who could pull off an upset? And how can you watch like an expert?

UPDATE:
Indonesia has denied all Israeli athlete visas.
Vault Preview: Deng Yalan vs. the United States of Cheng
- Leanne Wong and Joscelyn Roberson are tied for the highest combined two vault D-scores this year, but should we be worried that these vaults won’t materialize in time for competition?
- Why Deng Yalan could be the first Chinese gymnast to win a World Championships vault title since Cheng Fei
- Why you need to keep your eyes on Karla Navas, Angelina Melnikova, and Valentina Georgieva
- Will the double-twisting Yurchenko and Lopez group have enough D to sneak into vault finals?
- What do you need to know to watch vault like an expert?
Bars Preview: The Kaylia Nemour Show
- How Kaylia Nemour and her gargantuan 6.9 D-score will win the World bars title
- Could Yang Fanyuwei and her eponymous full-twisting Jaeger give Nemour a run for gold?
- Which one of the AIN Russians will use the power of an inbar to make it into bar finals?
- The wide world of spoilers from the Italians, Skye Blakely, and the Dutch
- Can you qualify to bar finals without connecting everything? We look at Nakamura Haruka dilemma as a case study
- How can you watch bars like an expert
Beam Preview: The Confidence Game
- Who are the current world leaders on beam?
- Why Zhou Yaqin and Zhang Qingying are leading the world beam rankings
- Whatever you do, DO NOT sleep on Hwang Seohyun and her massive new 6.9 D-score
- Why being a nonchalant beamer is the key to getting a 15
- Is doing big-time F+ elements still worth the risk?
- There are probably 30 people who could legitimately contend for a World beam title, who else is on our list?
- Why is beam evaluated so harshly? We go over everything you need to know to watch beam like an expert
Floor Preview: Doing Less is More
- Who are our favorites to win the title? Hint: it’s nobody
- Who is currently leading the world floor rankings?
- Joscelyn Roberson is coming in HOT with her 6.5 D-score, but is she healthy enough to pull it off?
- Could this be Sabrina Voinea’s Paris revenge tour?
- Why floor is probably one of the most unpredictable events this year. We have a looong list of gymnasts who could contend for a medal
- Who doesn’t belong in dance prison?
- Why the three or four pass floor routine debate is the “is a hot dog a sandwich” debate of gymnastics
- How do you submit an inquiry on floor? What are the new procedures to submit an inquiry?

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- LIVE FROM JAKARTA: Live Podium Training Report podcast with Q&A from Jakarta on October 17th.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro & Ads
01:02 Show Open – Welcome to the Worlds Event Finals Preview
02:14 Update from Singapore – Israeli Visa Controversy & FIG Rules
05:53 How to Watch Worlds – BBC & Broadcast Info
06:25 Vault Preview
07:19 Pre-Meet Favorites – Wong, Roberson, Deng Yalan
10:13 Wide World of Spoilers – Melnikova, Navas, Georgieva
13:20 DTY/Lopez Group Questions – Fontaine, Martin & Co.
17:03 How to Watch Vault Like an Expert – Hand Support & Deduction Drama
22:33 Bars Preview
23:02 Pre-Meet Favorites – Nemour, Yang, Roshchina
25:05 What Is an Inbar Skill & Why It Matters
26:17 Wide World of Spoilers – Italians, Blakely, Dutch Contenders
27:34 Questions – Can You Succeed Without Connections?
29:14 How to Watch Bars Like an Expert – Handstands, Kips, & Deductions
31:45 Beam Preview
32:11 Beam Queen Bootcamp Workshop – Beam Queen Fear & Confidence
32:53 Pre-Meet Favorites – Zhou, Zhang, Hwang
35:04 How the Chinese Score 15s on Beam
37:19 Wide World of Spoilers – Nemour, Flavia, Okamura, Blakely
42:22 Coping with No Manila Esposito – Giulia Perotti
45:04 Team Layout Full – Ossysek & Voinea
46:10 Does Big Difficulty Pay Off?
47:02 How to Watch Beam Like an Expert – Why E-Scores Are “Crimes”
50:28 Beam Deductions Explained – Rhythm, Pauses, and Artistry
53:01 Floor Preview
53:22 Pre-Meet Favorites – Roberson, Voinea, Kalmykova
54:44 Why There Are No Clear Favorites This Year
55:36 Wide World of Spoilers – Moerz, Sugihara, Kishi, Ruby Evans
56:13 Who Doesn’t Belong in Dance Prison – Fontaine, Marta Pihan-Kuleza, Petisco
58:03 The 3-Pass vs 4-Pass Debate
58:44 How to Watch Floor Like an Expert – Inquiry Rules Explained
01:01:08 When to File a Floor Inquiry & What’s Changed
01:02:05 ✨ Show Close & Updates
01:02:36 Thank You Gifts & Travel Blessing from Vicky
01:03:21 Worlds Coverage Schedule & Club Gym Nerd Live Access
01:04:00 Sign-Off – “Take off and split on rights!”
RELATED EPISODES:
- Episode – Jakarta World Championships Preview Part One: AA Draft, Stats, Subdivision Deep Dives
- Episode – Rolled Ankle-Gate! Selection Camp Down to 8 | Perotti Leads Italian World Team
- Episode – Jakarta World Team Trials Preview & Sho Nakamori on Judge-Eye-View Cameras
- Episode – Paris World Cup with Laura Cappelle
- Behind the Scenes – all episodes
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RESOURCES
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The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles
by Aimee Boorman with Fact Checker. Aimee coached Simone from day one in gymnastics to three back to back World All Around titles, 14 world medals and an unprecedented 5 medals at the Rio Olympics. Get your copy now. And if you loved reading (or listening) to the book, please leave a review.
- Spencer’s essential website The Balance Beam Situation
- GIFs of the Week and Meet schedule with links.
- Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim
- Kensley’s men’s gymnastics site Neutral Deductions
RESISTANCE RESOURCES > here
Cover Art & Photos by Steve Cooper © Gymcastic, Perotti photo by Filippo Tomasi for GymCastic