A lot of gymnastics has happened since our last World Power Ranking after the 2023 World Championships. Sadly, multiple injuries have opened up several spots on the list while a bit of time and healing has propelled other gymnasts onto the list where we always knew they should be. Since this is the last ranking before the Olympics, this ranking also includes a little more background to inform newer fans for the Paris Games.
A reminder on our ranking process. The way we think about it is similar to how you picked teams in elementary school. Get your classmates to line up and then start selecting athletes that give you the best chance to win; whether that’s a team medal, an all-around medal or an individual medal. In short, each of the athletes on this list should be in at least one final vying for a medal at the Paris Olympics. Our power rankings is a conversation starter and we’d love to hear your thoughts.
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Previous Ranking: 1
After winning her unprecedented 6th World All-Around title to close out 2023 Simone continued her dominant ways in 2024. She’s won every competition she’s entered this year and at the National Championships she swept gold in every single event; and added a 9th all-around title. She also posted the only 60+ score this year in the entire world. At Olympic Trials Simone cruised to a guaranteed Olympic spot besting the next closest American by over 5.5 points. The Redemption Tour has one more stop: Paris.
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Previous Ranking: 2
Sports are best when two super stars are able to push each other. Magic vs. Bird, Ali vs. Foreman. Biles vs. Andrade. Okay, we’re not going to pretend that all things being equal we’d expect Andrade to beat Simone outright, but she definitely removes the breathing room and will take the higher podium spot with an error. Now that her rumored Yurchenko triple has been confirmed to exist, the reigning World and Olympic all-around silver medalist has made the Paris games that much more exciting.
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Previous Ranking: N/A
She’s back! For a long time we weren’t sure if Suni’s kidneys were going to play nice, but through excellent treatment, discipline and hard work the reigning Olympic Champion is heading to Paris. That in itself is success. Bonus is the fact that every competition we’ve seen Suni compete she’s gotten better and stronger. Suni should once again be fighting for an all-around medal and depending on which bars routine she decides to compete she should be right in the “Battle Bars” mix.
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Previous Ranking: 4
Speaking of bars… Qiu has shown the highest start value in the world with a 7.2 D score, matching Algerian star, Kaylia Nemour. Qiu also boasts the second highest beam difficulty with a 7.0. To put that in perspective, only four gymnasts in the entire world have shown a single event with a start value of 7.0+. The two mentioned above plus Qiu’s teammate Zhou Yaqin on beam and Simone on floor.
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Previous Ranking: 8
The European all-around champion has entered the conversation. After her 9th place all-around finish in the 2023 World Championships, Manila has only gotten better. At Euros she collected a total of four gold medals, adding beam, floor and team. Manila is the closest non-American (along with Romanian Sabrina Voinea) to Simone on floor difficulty with a distant 5.9, but the beauty! Swoon! In 2024, Manila ranks third for the highest all-around score in the world competing in Paris behind Simone and teammate Alice D’Amato.
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Previous Ranking: 6
This might be one of the most exciting bars finals in recent Olympic memory. Kaylia has shown to be a master of the apparatus, but fell just short of Qiu at the World Championships. We can’t wait for the rematch where we’ll also likely get Becky Downie and Suni Lee also battling it out. And we also learned from last year’s worlds that Kaylia is much more than a bars worker, she’s ranks just behind Manila having posted a 56.9 all-around score earlier this year.
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Previous Ranking: 5
The French all-around national champion with titles added on beam and floor will lead Team France in their home Olympics. Earlier this year Melanie took the bars title at the Antalya Challenge Cup and the Osijek Challenge Cup where she also won the floor title. Always a stunning performer, watching her compete in Paris should be special to watch.
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Previous Ranking: N/A
After her stumble in the vault finals during the Tokyo Olympics Jade told her dad (and coach) they were coming back to the Games. Mission accomplished. A fierce competitor who trusts the process Jade followed up her vault final faux pas with a gold medal on floor. In 2024 Jade has steadily been pacing herself through the NCAA season where she placed 2nd all-around. Then in elite at the U.S. Championships Jade took 7th before heading to Olympic Trials where she placed 4th, adding over a full point to her Nationals score. Add her to your Redeem Team.
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Previous Ranking: 15
Alice’s 57.2 during the qualifications at the Italian Championships is the second highest all-around score from 2024 that’s entering the Paris Games. Alice is was 2nd at Euros and took home the bars title. Add her name to the Battle Bars showdown.
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Previous Ranking: 7
As mentioned above Zhou holds one of the distinguished 7+ D scores in the world. In fact, her 7.2 D score on balance beam is currently the highest in the world. In Antwerp she placed 2nd on beam to Simone, both competing a 6.5 D where Simone edged her by 0.1 in execution. Now, Zhou’s added a sizable buffer, which will make the beam final extra exciting.
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Previous Ranking: 9
Flavia could be on this list simply for her over splits. As it is, the 24-year-old is only getting better with age. At the 2023 World Championships Flavia collected her first World medals (team and floor). It was the first World team medal in Brazil’s history. At Jesolo this year Flavia took the beam and floor titles. After making history in Antwerp as a team, Flavia can help Brazil do it again in Paris.
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Previous Ranking: 13
If Ellie is competing expect to see her in the all-around finals. The 28-year old continues to display world class gymnastics every competition. In April she won the all-around at Jesolo with a respectable 55.733. Her mid 13s and low 14s across the board, plus her expertise at mastering the artistry checklist make her a gymternet favorite.
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Previous Ranking: N/A
Becky competed in her first Olympics 16 years ago! She returned eight years later and now she’s back one more time looking to fight her way onto the uneven bars podium. She has a top 5 D score and who knows what bag of tricks she has for Paris.
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Previous Ranking: 14
This 17-year-old has helped rejuvenate the Romanian program. Sabrina picked up hardware at the last two European Championships on floor and at the last world championships she missed the podium by just one spot. With that said, don’t sleep on Sabrina’s beam, where she also snatched a silver at the most recent Euros.
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Previous Ranking: N/A
Unlike Jade who competed this NCAA season, Jordan deferred to concentrate on getting back to the Olympics. Her plan also worked. And like Jade, Jordan added a full point to her total between Nationals and Trials. Each week she seems to be getting stronger and that momentum will be integral to Team USA’s success in Paris.
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Previous Ranking: 16
Since last year’s world championships, Alice has added a full point to her bars routine, scoring a 14.5 and winning gold at the English Championships. This all-arounder also has a 14+ beam routine in her pocket with a consistent 14+ vault. And she’s been training an Amanar. Alice is returning to the Olympics after helping Team GB take bronze in Tokyo.
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Previous Ranking: N/A
A changing of the guard in Germany is afoot. Helen swept the German Olympic Trials winning every event and separating herself by nearly three points over her next closest competitor. This impressive performance also included besting Elisabeth Seitz by 0.2 on bars who put up a very competitive 14.6 for silver. This will be the first Olympic Games for the new Senior, but if we understand German gymnastics it won’t be the last for the 16-year-old German national champion.
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Previous Ranking: 12
When you think of South Korean gymnastics you think big vaults. Yeo won bronze in Tokyo and again at the 2023 World Championships. Yeo has been relatively quiet in 2024, but she showed up at the Korean National Team Selection and took third to send her back to the Olympics. We expect her to once again vie for a spot on the vault podium.
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Previous Ranking: N/A
The last competitor in this power ranking we hope to see in the Battle Bars final is Nina. She’s a two-time world champion and the reigning Olympic champion on bars. Nina has been coming back from a shoulder injury so she’s been slowly pacing her return. After doing a watered down routine at the European Championships Nina is beginning to look like her pacing is perfect, putting up a 14.650 at the Haguenau Friendly earlier this month. It looks like she’s not stepping down from the podium’s high perch without a fight.
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Previous Ranking: N/A
It’s one thing to have an eponymous skill. It’s another to change the game. In 2016, Sanne showed everyone there was another way to generate a giant D without the sky high acrobatics. Racking up connection bonuses with superior twisting skills Sanne won balance beam gold in Rio. Eight years later she just won gold on beam at the Dutch National Championships and Olympic Trials. You never know with beam, but we expect to see Sanne twisting her way into another potential medal position.
Preview World Elite Power Ranking
Honorable Mentions: Kishi Rina, Pauline Schafer-Betz, Leanne Wong, Joscelyn Roberson
Removed from the list because of injury: Shilese Jones, Jessica Gadirova, Eythora Thorsdottir
Power Ranking was composed with input from Spencer Barnes and Steve Cooper
Kayla Dicello wasn’t on the list before her injury?