U.S. women's gymnastics team puts two historic streaks on the line at World Championships

Key Points:

• The World Gymnastics Championships beginning Saturday serve as the first global team competition since the Paris Olympics, with team medalists securing the first spots for their countries at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
• The U.S. women's team, dominant for over a decade with seven consecutive world team titles and consistent individual all-around medals since 2003, faces strong challenges from rising global competitors in Rotterdam.
• The U.S. women's roster includes one Olympian, Hezly Rivera, who is managing a recurring ankle injury, and only one world championships veteran, Skye Blakely; the other three team members are making their senior global debuts.
• Traditional gymnastics powers like Russia and China remain strong, though visa issues have barred some Russian athletes from competing, increasing the competition level for the U.S. team.
• The all-around competition will feature new U.S. contenders without Simone Biles or other recent Olympic medalists, marking a significant moment as emerging gymnasts aim to uphold the U.S. legacy on the global stage.