FIG Friendship and Solidarity competition: Team rosters, apparatus lineups and more announced
National allegiances will be checked at the door of Yoyogi Gymnasium in Tokyo this weekend when athletes from the world’s gymnastics powerhouses–the U.S., China, Japan, and Russia–convene in the Japanese capital for the FIG Friendship and Solidarity competition.
While intended to be a showcase of international camaraderie, the meet will double as test to prove that staging a high-profile event in Tokyo is possible despite the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Upon athletes arrival in Tokyo late Tuesday/early Wednesday, the FIG released the official team rosters for both Team Friendship and Team Solidarity, which feature an even mix of athletes from each participating nation and easily the most exciting and deepest roster of elite competitors at a meet in over seven months.
Team Friendship is headlined by 2019 World all-around bronze medalist Angelina Melnikova (RUS), Asuka Teramoto (JPN), and Sophia Butler (USA), who is competing in her first international meet as a senior. On the men’s side, 2019 U.S. World team members Yul Moldauer and Shane Wiskus will compete alongside international stars like 2018 World all-around champion Artur Dalaloyan (RUS) and Kazuma Kaya (JPN).
| Team Friendship | ||
| Women | Country | Apparatuses |
| LIU Jieyu | CHN | FX, VT, UB, BB |
| ZHOU Ruiyu | CHN | FX, VT, UB, BB |
| HATAKEDA Hitomi | JPN | FX, VT, UB, BB |
| TERAMOTO Asuka | JPN | FX, VT, UB, BB |
| MELNIKOVA Angelina | RUS | FX, VT, UB, BB |
| VORONA Iana | RUS | FX, VT, BB |
| BUTLER Sophia | USA | FX, VT, BB |
| Men | Country | Apparatuses |
| SHI Cong | CHN | FX, PH, SR, VT, HB |
| ZHANG Boheng | CHN | FX, PH, SR, HB |
| KAMOTO Yuya | JPN | SR, PB, HB |
| KAYA Kazuma | JPN | FX, PH, SR, VT, PB, HB |
| DALALOYAN Artur | RUS | FX, PH, SR, VT, PB, HB |
| ROSTOV Alexey | RUS | FX, PH, SR, VT, PB, HB |
| MOLDAUER Yul | USA | PH, PB, HB |
| WISKUS Shane | USA | FX, PH, SR, VT, PB, HB |
Team Solidarity is headlined by the U.S.’s eMjae Frazier and Shilese Jones and 2019 Junior World balance beam champion Elena Gerasimova (RUS). On the men’s side, Paul Juda will compete in his first international meet representing the U.S., competing with stars such as Olympic all-around champion Kohei Uchimura (JPN) and 2019 World all-around champion Nikita Nagornyy (RUS).
| Team Solidarity | ||
| Women | Country | Apparatuses |
| LU Yufei | CHN | FX, VT, UB, BB |
| ZHANG Jin | CHN | FX, VT, UB, BB |
| HATAKEDA Chiaki | JPN | FX, VT, UB, BB |
| MATSUMURA Akari | JPN | FX, VT, UB, BB |
| GERASIMOVA Elena | RUS | FX, UB, BB |
| SHCHEKOLDINA Aleksandra | RUS | FX, VT, UB |
| FRAZIER eMjae | USA | VT, UB, BB |
| JONES Shilese | USA | VT, UB, BB |
| Men | Country | Apparatuses |
| MA Yue | CHN | FX, SR, VT, HB |
| YIN Dehang | CHN | FX, PH, SR, PB |
| TANIGAWA Wataru | JPN | FX, PH, SR, VT, PB, HB |
| UCHIMURA Kohei | JPN | FX, PH, VT, HB |
| LANKIN Dmitrii | RUS | FX, PH, SR, VT, PB, HB |
| NAGORNYY Nikita | RUS | FX, PH, SR, VT, PB, HB |
| JUDA Paul | USA | FX, PH, SR, VT, PB, HB |
It was previously speculated that gymnasts from other countries–namely Carlos Yulo (PHI) and Milca Leon (VEN)–may participate in the meet when their names were featured on a tentative, unofficial roster that circulated around the gymternet a couple weeks back, but they are not listed on the FIG’s official roster.
Competition Format, Schedule, and How to Watch
Two mixed teams–Team Friendship (BLUE) and Team Solidarity (RED)–from the four participating nations will compete.
Each team is composed of 15 gymnasts (mix of MAG and WAG). The top 3 scores on each apparatus for MAG and top 3 scores on each apparatus for WAG will count toward the final team score. Athletes are not required to compete in the all-around. There is no all-around final or individual event finals, but gymnasts are allowed to perform two vaults if they want. Only the first will count toward the team score.
All gymnasts are scheduled to arrive by Wednesday (Japan Time), with training taking place Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and competition taking place Sunday. All gymnasts are scheduled to depart on Monday.
The opening ceremony for the meet will start at 12:40 p.m. JST on Sunday, November 8 (10:40 p.m. EST on Saturday, November 7), with the main competition taking place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. JST (11 p.m. to 2 a.m. EST).
The meet will be live broadcast starting at 11 p.m. ET on NBC Sports, NBCSports.com/live, and the NBC Sports app for Olympic Channel subscribers. In Japan, it will be live broadcast on Japan’s CS Tele Morning Channel 2 at this link.
Strict medical protocol and procedures will be followed by all participating delegations, complying with Japanese regulations and the Medical Guidelines for FIG Competitions and Events During the COVID-19 Pandemic that the FIG recently announced.
Athletes and officials will undergo daily testing and be restricted to the venue, training hall, and their hotels.
A crowd of approximately 2,000 will be on hand to witness the meet.
Reigning Olympic all-around champion Uchimura tested positive for the coronavirus last week, but three subsequent tests from three different hospitals all came back negative. As such, the initial positive result has been deemed a false positive, according to the FIG, and Uchimura has been cleared to compete. All of Uchimura’s teammates have also tested negative.
“The world will be watching us,” said FIG President Morinari Watanabe. “While sports also need to live with the unknown virus, we will ensure solutions to the issues one by one, and will strive for creating the environment where mental support is provided to gymnasts.”
