Paris World Cup with Laura Cappelle

Paris World Cup 2025 recap! Melnikova returns, Nemour shines on bars, Abi Martin vaults to gold, Voinea takes floor redemption, plus Ukraine protests, Jakarta Worlds mascot, and a GymCastic scholarship.

Chapters

The Paris World Cup Details

• We’re joined again by French sociologist and art critic, Dr. Laura Cappelle :
  • Angelina Melnikova’s return to international competition after spending four years in Russian exile
  • Kaylia Nemour returning to the arena where she was crowned Olympic champion and casually winning bars by more than 1.5 points
  • Sabrina Voinea winning the floor title with a whip double layout to immediate punch front!
• Ukraine withdrew from the Paris World Cup in protest over the inclusion of Russian athletes here
• Chinese World Team Trials are happening. Who is in contention of making this year’s Worlds team?
• Nodi, a stinking corpse lily and one of the national flowers of Indonesia, was selected as the official mascot of the 2025 World Championships

The Analysis

• Why is the Paris World Cup THE World Cup competition of the year?
• What can this competition potentially foreshadow about Worlds next month?
• We got to watch the triumphant return of Angelina Melnikova here. What did she have to say after the competition?
• What was striking about the use of Tchaikovasky in place of the Russian anthem?
• How is Nemour’s new training situation going? What was the atmosphere like between the Nemour and the French federation?
• Why Celia Serber and Lorette Charpy were the rock stars of this meet
• Morgane Osyssek-Reimer’s full-twisting layout on beam is what dreams are made of
• Kaia Tanskanen became the first Finnish gymnast to compete a Silivas on floor and came away with a bronze medal!
• Artistry check: how did we feel about the artistry from these floor routines?
• The Italian men holding up a sign that said #InseimeAbonni in solidarity with their teammate Lorenzo Bonicelli

GYMCASTIC UPDATES

• Raffle ️ Win a Full Commission Episode for $10!
• GymCastic Scholarship courtesy of Rhonda and her Dad
• Fantasy  Paris World Challenge Cup Winner: Blue

UPCOMING COMPETITIONS

• September 26-28: Szombathely World Cup
• September 29-Oct 2: US Women’s Selection Camp

RELATED:

• • Why the Top Gymnast in France Is Competing for Algeria: A bitter fight with the French gymnastics federation threatened the Olympic hopes of Kaylia Nemour. Dual nationality offered a way out by Laura Cappelle for the New York Times
  • History of Western Dance graphic novel by Laura Cappelle
  • Episode – Nemour Speaks Up
  • Episode – Paris Teams Taking Shape & Artistry with Dr. Laura Cappelle
  • Episode – Paris World Cup 2022 with Laura Cappelle
  • Behind the Scenes – all episodes

UP NEXT:

• Behind The Scenes: Live Q&A podcast Wednesday this week only at noon Pacific/8 GMT

Support the Show

• Join Club Gym Nerd: https://gymcastic.com/club/
• Headstand Game: https://gymcastic.com/headstand-plugin/
• Forum: https://gymcastic.com/community/
• Merch: https://gymcastic.com/shop/

Live Shows

Experience GymCastic live!

✨ Replay: GymCastic Live in New Orleans with Morgan Hurd

NEWSLETTERS

• Sign up for all three GymCastic newsletters 

RESOURCES

• 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

Thank You to Our Sponsor

• • Norberts — 10% off with code GymCastic: https://norberts.net

RESISTANCE 

Submitted by our listeners.

• ACTION
  • Indivisible
    • Practical ideas about what you can actually do in this moment, check it out: indivisi.org/muskorus
  • 5Calls App will call your Congresspeople by issue with a script to guide you
    • • Make 2 to your Congressional rep (local and DC office). 2 each to your US Senators (local and state offices)
        • State your name and zip code or district
        • Be concise with your question or demand (i.e. What specific steps is Senator X taking to stop XYZ)
        • Wait for answer
        • Ask for action items –  tell them what you want them to do (i.e. draft articles of impeachment immediately, I want to see you holding a press conference in front of…etc.)
  • ResistBot
    • Turns your texts into faxes, postal mail, or emails to your representatives in minutes
  • ACLU Mobile Justice App
    • Allows you to record encounters with public officials while streaming to your closest contacts and your local ACLU; REPORT any abuse by authorities to the ACLU and its networks.
• LAWSUITS
  • Donate to organizations suing the administration for illegal actions (tracking list by topic)
    • ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, Northwest Immigration Law Project
• STAY INFORMED
  • Suggested podcasts:  Amicus, Daily Beans, Pod Save America, Strict Scrutiny
• Immigrant Rights
  • Know Your Rights Red Cards, We Have Rights Video, Your Rights on trains and buses video

• Photo credits: Steve Cooper©Gymcastic and Filippo Tomasi for GymCastic