With the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games just a little more than two months past, the 2021 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Kitakyushu, Japan, once again provides a stage for the world’s best in the sport.
In artistic gymnastics, a world championship in the year of the Olympic Games hasn’t happened since 1996. But those championships happened before the Games of Atlanta 1996.
With stars of the sport – and reigning world all-around champions – Simone Biles and Nikita Nagornyy not taking part, new all-around champions will be crowned. Only three athletes – Carlos Yulo, Ibrahim Colak and Arthur Nory – come to Kitakyushu with a chance to defend their world titles from 2019.
But that doesn’t mean there won’t be excitement, as the field includes eight Olympic gold medallists including Japan’s Kohei Uchimura for whom this event may be his finale.
Here’s what to look for, from the schedule to stars to watch, in Kitakyushu.
2021 World Arstic Gymnastics Championships Schedule
All times local to Kitakyushu (UTC+9)
Monday, 18 October
9:45am, Women's qualifying, Subdivision 1 featuring athletes from China, Turkey, Israel, Uzbekistan
11:15am, Women's qualifying, Subdivision 2 featuring athletes from Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Hungary
1pm, Women's qualifying, Subdivision 3 featuring athletes from USA, Canada, Norway, Croatia
2:30pm, Women's qualifying, Subdivision 4 featuring athletes from Switzerland, Portugal, Colombia, Iceland, Lithuania
4pm, Women's qualifying, Subdivision 5 featuring athletes from Japan, Ukraine, Taiwan, Denmark, Luxembourg
5:45pm, Women's qualifying, Subdivision 6 featuring athletes from Germany, Egypt, Austria, Finland, Ecuador
7:15pm, Women's qualifying, Subdivision 7 featuring athletes from France, Romania, Sweden, India
Tuesday, 19 October
9:45am, Women's qualifying, Subdivision 8 featuring athletes from Czech Republic, Azerbaijan, Slovenia, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Latvia
11:15am, Women's qualifying, Subdivision 9 featuring athletes from Brazil, Mexico, Ireland
1pm, Women's qualifying, Subdivision 10 featuring athletes from Russia, South Korea, Slovakia
5pm, Men's qualifying, Subdivision 1 featuring athletes from Germany, Spain, France, Greece, Bulgaria, Portugal
7:10pm, Men's qualifying, Subdivision 2 featuring athletes from Russia, China, Ukraine, Hungary, Belgium, Slovenia, Hong Kong, Latvia
Wednesday, 20 October
9:20am, Men's qualifying, Subdivision 3 featuring athletes from Japan, Brazil, Switzerland, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Panama, Bangladesh
11:10am, Men's qualifying, Subdivision 4 featuring athletes from USA, Taiwan, Netherlands, Lithuania, Belarus, Iceland, Syria
1:20pm, Men's qualifying, Subdivision 5 featuring athletes from Egypt, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Colombia, Thailand, Romania
3:10pm, Men's qualifying, Subdivision 6 featuring athletes from Great Britain, Turkey, South Korea, Canada, Vietnam, Ecuador, Ireland, Albania
5:20pm, Men's qualifying, Subdivision 7 featuring athletes from Italy, Croatia, Uzbekistan, Czech Republic, Finland, Denmark, Philippines
7:10pm, Men's qualifying, Subdivision 8 featuring athletes from Israel, Cyprus, Austria, Norway, India
Thursday, 21 October
6pm, Women’s all-around final
Friday, 22 October
6pm, Men’s all-around final
Saturday, 23 October
4:10pm, Apparatus finals, day 1
Sunday, 24 October
4:25pm, Apparatus finals, day 2
Stars to watch
Three Olympic champions highlight the field in the women’s competition: Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade and the Russian Gymnastic Federation’s Angelina Melnikova and Vladislava Urazova. After finishing with silver and bronze in the all-around at Tokyo 2020, they’ll be among the favourites to capture gold in the event in Kitakyushu.
Melnikova’s fellow Tokyo Olympic team gold medallist Urazova, who finished fourth in the all-around at this summer’s Olympics, could push for the all-around podium as well, if she decides to compete on all four apparatus. Urazova also finished eighth in the balance beam final in Tokyo and could challenge on the event here.
Other all-around contenders include Murakami Mai of Japan, Kayla DiCello and Leanne Wong of the United States and China’s Li Shija.
In the apparatus finals, Andrade, the Olympic gold medallist on vault, will be the favourite for gold once again. Great Britain’s Becky Downie, a 2008 and 2016 Olympian, enters the event as the reigning world uneven bars silver medallist. The 29-year-old will be looking for redemption after missing out on the Olympic Games earlier this summer.
On balance beam, Wei Xuoyuan and Li could replicate the 1-2 finish on the apparatus China produced earlier this summer at the Olympic Games. American newcomer Konnor McClain has the potential to contend, as well, but will need to handle her nerves under pressure.
The women’s floor final should be a battle Tokyo medallists Andrade, Melnikova and Murakami all in the field.