U.S. gymnastics celebrates Richard’s historic floor gold and Blakely’s four-medal world championships

Frederick Richard wins floor exercise gold at the 2026 World Gymnastics Championships, while Skye Blakely reaches four medals and Claire Pease earns vault silver.

Frederick Richard turned a confident prediction into a world championship title, leading a strong day for the United States at the 2026 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The American gymnast scored 14.633 points to win the men’s floor exercise final on Saturday, narrowly defeating Great Britain’s Jake Jarman, the reigning world champion, who finished with 14.600. Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat took bronze with 14.466.

The victory delivered on a promise Richard made on May 5, when he said he would win gold at the championships five months later. As NBC Sports reported in its October 24 coverage, the 22-year-old secured the title in his final routine of the competition, earning his first world championship gold.

Richard said his achievement demonstrated the importance of believing in a goal before knowing exactly how it would be accomplished.

The result also marked a significant milestone for American men’s gymnastics. Richard became the first American man to win a world championship title on floor exercise since Paul Hamm shared gold in 2003.

A University of Michigan graduate, Richard had previously earned world championship bronze in the all-around and team events in 2023, followed by another team bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics. His Rotterdam victory adds an individual world title to that record.

Richard’s triumph was part of a four-medal haul for the United States on Saturday, with Skye Blakely and Claire Pease also reaching the podium in the women’s apparatus finals.

Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade won the women’s vault title, with Pease taking silver and Blakely earning bronze. For Pease, 17, the result was her first individual medal at a world championships, achieved during her debut appearance at the competition.

Blakely added another bronze later in the day, finishing third in the uneven bars final behind Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour, who secured her third consecutive world title on the apparatus, and Germany’s Helen Kevric, who claimed silver.

The two medals brought Blakely’s total in Rotterdam to four. The 21-year-old had already won women’s all-around gold and contributed to the American team’s silver medal earlier in the championships.

According to NBC Sports, Blakely became the fifth American gymnast to win at least four medals at a single world championships. She joined a group that includes Kurt Thomas, Nastia Liukin, Rebecca Bross and Simone Biles.

The championships continue Sunday with the remaining apparatus finals, including the women’s balance beam, where Blakely is scheduled to compete. The closing events will complete a competition in which Richard’s long-stated ambition became reality and the American women added several individual podium finishes to their team success.