This week in gymnastics: Gabby Douglas back at camp, trampoline worlds in review, Evita Griskenas secures Olympic berth

This week in gymnastics covers the latest happenings in the Olympic gymnastics disciplines, including artistic, rhythmic, and trampoline.

International Gymnastics Federation releases ad-hoc rules outlining how Russian and Belarusian athletes can return to competition in 2024

The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has published the conditions of participation for Russian and Belarusian individuals looking to return to international competition in 2024.

Read the rules, our full breakdown, and Russian officials’ reaction here.

Artistic

Gabby Douglas returns to national team camp

2012 Olympic all-around champion Gabby Douglas took another major step in her comeback earlier this week when she attended the U.S. women’s November national team camp – the last of 2023.

Douglas, who formally announced her comeback in July, has been relatively quiet about the progress she’s making in the gym, but the training videos she’s posted are promising, with the two-time Olympian and three-time Olympic gold medalist showing difficult pirouettes on bars and a confident standing full on beam since her announcement. Her attendance at camp is another sign that she’s on her way to being competition ready.

The 2024 U.S. elite season kicks off with Winter Cup at the end of February, when Douglas is likely to compete in her first meet since the Rio Olympics, more than seven years ago. While the field won’t be announced until closer to the competition, Winter Cup is one of two lower-stakes domestic competitions that Douglas can use to get her feet wet before championships and Olympic Trials, which she will have to qualify/be invited to. The other meet is the Core Hydration Classic (formerly U.S. Classic), but that meet is in mid-May and runs close to championships, providing a less than ideal situation to test the waters.

U.S. women’s artistic November national team camp attendees

The U.S. women’s artistic national team camp was held from November 12-15 in Katy, Texas. Here’s who was in attendance:

• Isabella Anzola
• Ly Bui
• Lavi Crain
• Ally Damelio
• Amelia Disidore
• Gabby Douglas
• Tatum Drusch
• Reese Esponda
• Addison Fatta
• Kieryn Finnell
• Addy Fulcher
• Jayla Hang
• Gabrielle Hardie
• Madray Johnson
• Myli Lew
• Evey Lowe
• Nola Matthews
• Zoey Molomo
• Marissa Neal
• Claire Pease
• Hezly Rivera
• Simone Rose
• Lacie Saltzmann
• Audrey Snyder
• Izzy Stassi
• Trinity Thomas
• Maliha Tressel
• Tyler Turner
• Lexi Zeiss
• Alicia Zhou

Utah head coach Tom Farden placed on administrative leave

Utah women’s gymnastics head coach Tom Farden was placed on paid administrative leave over the weekend.

The University of Utah released a statement saying the action was taken after “recent conduct and actions by Coach Farden not related to student-athlete welfare, which simply do not align with our values and expectations.”

Associate head coach Carly Dockendorf will serve as the team’s interim head coach.

This is just the latest in an offseason saga centered around abuse allegations against Farden made by former Utah gymnasts and parents.

In September, Farden was at the center of an external review, conducted by law firm Husch Blackwell, of the Utah gymnastics team. The review, which included 45 interviews, determined that head coach Tom Farden caused some student-athletes to feel “increased fear of failure” and pressure to retain athletic scholarships. It also determined he did not engage in “any severe, pervasive, or egregious” acts of emotional, verbal, or physical abuse or harassment as defined by the SafeSport Code and NCAA regulations.

In October, then-current Utah gymnast Kara Eaker announced her retirement with a letter posted to Instagram accusing the gymnastics program, specifically an unnamed coach, of verbal and emotional abuse.

Rhythmic

Evita Griskenas qualifies to Paris 2024 at Pan Am Games

U.S. rhythmic gymnast Evita Griskenas had a standout performance at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, earlier this month, winning five medals and qualifying by name as an individual to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Griskenas won silver in the all-around, as well as bronze with each of the four apparatus (hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon).

Paris will be Griskenas’ second Olympic Games after she competed at the Tokyo Games in 2021, where she finished 12th in qualifying.

Trampoline

Team USA makes history at trampoline worlds

Trampoline worlds concluded in Birmingham, England, on November 12, and the U.S. sat atop the medal table for the first time in decades, winning four titles and 10 medals overall.

Leading the American effort was Ruben Padilla, who won his second-straight world title in double mini trampoline (DMT) after training the apparatus only once in the month prior. A triple threat who competes DMT, trampoline, and tumbling, Padilla also helped the U.S. to DMT team gold and won silver with Olympian Aliaksei Shostak in men’s synchronized trampoline.

In the women’s trampoline competition, Olympian Nicole Ahsinger and partner Sarah Webster became the first U.S. women’s synchro pair in 51 years to win the world title. Jessica Stevens also made history when she won bronze in the women’s individual competition as the first U.S. woman since 1974 to make the podium in the event.

The U.S. closed the meet by winning gold in the team all-around.

“I think I speak for everybody when I say we’re happy to have finally broken the silver streak,” Padilla said. “I would not have performed anywhere near the way I did today if it were not for my teammates pushing me.”

2021 world champions Yan Langyu (CHN) and Bryony Page (GBR) won gold in men’s and women’s individual trampoline, respectively.

The first quota spots were also awarded for Paris 2024, which sees only individual trampoline contested. 10 quota spots (five men’s and five women’s) were awarded to nations, who will then decide who receives the berth at a later date. For the women, China, Brazil, Canada, USA, and Great Britain qualified spots, and for the men, China, Great Britain, Austria, Japan, and Portugal qualified.

For Great Britain and Austria’s men and Brazil’s women, Paris will mark their first Olympic appearance in trampoline.

See the results from Birmingham below. For the full results book, click here.

Men’s Tumbling Team

1. Azerbaijan
2. Great Britain
3. Denmark

Women’s Tumbling Team

1. Great Britain
2. France
3. United States

Men’s Double Mini Team

1. United States
2. Spain
3. Great Britain

Women’s Double Mini Team

1. Great Britain
2. Portugal
3. Canada

Men’s Double Mini

1. Ruben Padilla (USA)
2. David Franco (ESP)
3. Tiago Sampaio Romao (POR)

Women’s Double Mini

1. Melania Rodriguez (ESP)
2. Aliah Raga (USA)
3. Gracie Harder (USA)