© Matthew Smith/Gymnastics Now
Just hours after the conclusion of men’s competition at the 2026 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, USA Gymnastics announced Saturday its five-man team for the 2026 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, set for October 17-25 in Rotterdam, Netherlands
The U.S. men’s world team is:
- Fred Richard (Michigan)
- Shane Wiskus (EVO)
- Danila Leykin (EVO)
- Kameron Nelson (EVO)
- Patrick Hoopes (Air Force)
- Traveling alternate: Yul Moldauer
- Non-traveling alternate: Cooper Kim
The decision on who made the team was completely discretionary, with the Senior Selection Committee deciding all five members after the potential auto-lock scenarios didn’t come to fruition
The U.S. men won more medals than the U.S. women at 2025 Worlds in Jakarta, Indonesia. Nelson and Hoopes were part of. that team, with the latter winning bronze on pommel horse
This year is a team world championships, meaning the first priority is the team competition, especially since the three countries that finish on the podium will punch their tickets to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games
“I think we’re going to be underdogs, for sure,” Richard said after Saturday’s meet. “I think there’s obviously China and Japan – and Russia looks pretty good. Underdogs, but not out of it at all. And I think we’ll go into it with that mindset. We grind even harder these next two months, knowing that we’re underdogs – nothing’s guaranteed. But I think, whoever’s on this team, we’re going to grow a lot from this experience. And the goal, again, is to still bring home medals.”
Every member of the team is making their second appearance at Worlds except for Leykin, who will make his debut at a senior world championships. The 19-year-old competed at the 2025 Junior World Championships, winning silver on high bar and bronze with the team and on parallel bars
Richard won two bronze medals at the 2023 World Championships with the team and in the all-around
