As the 2024 elite competition season begins, hundreds of athletes in the United States aspire to make the U.S. World Championships team. The journey includes mandatory qualification, optional qualifiers, and national championships, with the ultimate goal of earning a place in the World Championships or Olympic Games.
why does it matter?
This process showcases the rigorous and difficult path for athletes to reach the elite level and compete at world championships, highlighting the incredible dedication and hard work required to achieve this goal.
In numbers
- A total of 60 top-level gymnasts entered the elite gymnastics year with the aim of competing at the World Championships
- Only 10% of the 60 gymnasts eventually earned a spot on the US World Championships team
Playing status
- Compulsory and optional qualifications mark the beginning of the elite journey for gymnasts
- 31 gymnasts qualified for nationals, just over half of those who started the elite process
- Only 16 gymnasts, about 26% of the athletes who started the elite process, made the national team
- In the end, six gymnasts, representing just 10% of the top 60, earned a spot on the World Championships team
minimum
The arduous journey to the U.S. World Championship team demonstrates the high standards and intense competition in elite gymnastics, underscoring the extraordinary achievement of those who reach the world stage.