Frederick Richard Captures Gold at World Gymnastics Championships

American gymnast Frederick Richard secured the men’s floor exercise title at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam, defeating defending champion Jake Jarman by a margin of 0.333 points. Richard’s victory marks the first time an American man has captured a world title on the floor exercise since Paul Hamm achieved the feat in 2003. Competing at the Rotterdam Ahoy arena, Richard put together a routine that held off Jarman, who was the final competitor in the final.

For Jarman, the silver medal made him Britain’s most decorated athlete in World Artistic Gymnastics Championships history with four total medals. The 24-year-old recorded a 14.600 on the floor after executing a more difficult routine that judges deducted for execution errors. Despite missing out on the top step of the podium, Jarman expressed satisfaction with his performance and his trajectory toward future competitions.

Yulo and Dukhno Struggle in Rotterdam Floor Final

The men’s floor final saw intense competition from international contenders. Reigning Olympic champion Carlos Yulo sat during his second tumbling pass and finished eighth in the eight-man field. Arsenii Dukhno of Russia, who topped the qualifying rounds, bounded out of bounds after overcooking a tumbling sequence, landing in sixth place. Meanwhile, British competitor Courtney Tulloch finished seventh in the men’s rings final with a score of 13.366 after suffering a stumble on his landing dismount.

In the women’s events, Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade took gold in the vaulting final with an average score of 14.666. Andrade returned to international competition while eyeing a run at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. American Skye Blakely added to her all-around gold by securing bronze on the vault with an average of 14.166, sharing the podium alongside silver medalist Claire Pease. In the uneven bars, Algerian defending world and Olympic champion Kaylia Nemour defended her title with a 15.333, earning the highest score of the day with an intricate routine.

Upcoming Competition Schedule in Rotterdam

Competition at the 2026 Artistic World Championships concludes on Sunday, October 25. Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch live coverage on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. Sunday’s final day of events features Jake Jarman and teammate Hepworth competing in the men’s vault, while Abi Martin and Alice Kinsella are scheduled to appear in the women’s floor exercise final. Skye Blakely will also return to the competition floor to contest the beam final.

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