Qualifications to Finals — A Recap Of 2025 World Championships In Jakrata
Posted: Oct 30 2025
The Pulse of Jakarta
The lights dimmed, the crowd roared, and Jakarta became the first Asian city to host the Gymnastics World Championships. From the first vault to the final salute, the men’s competition delivered drama, heartbreak, and jaw-dropping feats. Gymnastics, it turns out, is as much about momentum as perfection — and in Jakarta, the balance between legacy and surprise was on full display. For many, it was the biggest week of their lives. All of their dreams came true, and now it was a pursuit to the podium.
Qualification — Setting the Stage
Daiki Hashimoto led the All-Around after the preliminary rounds as expected, topping 83 even after suffering a rare fall on floor. Teammate Shinnosuke Oka had a rough day — illness and a small back strain led to falls on high bar and floor — but strong work on parallel bars kept him alive for the all-around final. Japan’s depth was on full display, and they left qualifying with 6 apparatus finalists paired with their all-around stars.
The U.S. faced a major curveball when Asher Hong, their lone all-around selection, withdrew from the competition due to injury in warmups. Donnell Whittenburg stepped up, scoring 14.700 on rings and 14.300 on parallel bars to grab two finals spots. Four of the five Americans to compete advanced to apparatus finals, proving that experience and resilience can shine even without a top all-around contender.
Team GB brought their typical flair and fire in prelims. Jake Jarman lit up floor with a 14.700, and Joe Fraser qualified in second on high bar. Jarman, though, couldn’t land his Yonekura which kept him out of the vault final. Still, Britain emerged with five apparatus finalists and serious medal hopes on floor and high bar.
China combined quiet precision with sparks of brilliance. Zhang Boheng affirmed his all-around standing with a solid low-82 total, while Shi Cong posted 81+ and punched tickets to multiple finals. Zou Jingyuan’s parallel bars routine will take your breath away as he lead the field by nearly 1 whole point, and China secured at least one finalist on every apparatus besides floor.
The Russians, competing under the neutral AIN 2 banner, made a solid return to international competition. Daniel Marinov turned in an 81.9 all-around, while Vladislav Poliashov and Mukhammadzhon Iakubov flashed the signature technique and difficulty that Russian fans love. A few mistakes kept them from dominating like old times, but their presence and ability to qualify into multiple apparatus finals signal that Russia may be back and here to stay.
But the real story of the preliminary round in Jakarta was the rise of other nations, and the growing idea of a non-powerhouse country performing well in gymnastics. Sweden placed two gymnasts inside the top eight all-around — a huge milestone for the program — while Thailand celebrated its first-ever apparatus finalist in Tikumporn Surintornta. Host nation Indonesia turned every routine into a homegrown celebration, and countries like Kazakhstan, Belgium, Italy and Canada all produced finalists. For a city often overshadowed by traditional powerhouses, Jakarta became a proving ground where the underdogs could shine — and shine they did.
Qualifications didn’t just determine finalists — they reshuffled expectations. With rising stars staking their claim, smaller nations making historic breakthroughs, and veterans regrouping their mentals, the stage is perfectly set for a finals weekend where anything can happen.
All-Around Final — Rivalries, Records, and Rising Stars
The men’s all-around final in Jakarta unfolded under a new, fast-paced format: four athletes competed simultaneously, split among all six apparatus. The result? A whirlwind of action — no quiet rotations, no downtime — just constant movement and mounting tension as scores flashed and leaders shifted in real time. The energy inside Indonesia Arena was certainly present, with the world’s best gymnasts literally sharing the stage.
When the dust settled, the top eight read:
- Daiki Hashimoto (Japan) — 85.131
- Zhang Boheng (China) — 84.333
- Noe Seifert (Switzerland) — 82.831
- Shi Cong (China) — 82.297
- Shinnosuke Oka (Japan) — 81.797
- Ángel Barajas (Colombia) — 81.432
- Daniel Marinov (AIN2/Russia) — 80.766
- Krisztofer Mészáros (Hungary) — 80.664
Hashimoto’s victory cemented his status as the undisputed king of modern gymnastics. With an 85.131, he became only the second man in history — after Kohei Uchimura — to claim three consecutive world all-around titles. His high bar finale, performed under immense pressure, sealed his triumph and sent the crowd into a frenzy. “It was a very tough and close battle,” Hashimoto said afterward. “When I nailed the high bar at the end, it felt amazing.”
Standing near him, Zhang Boheng — the 2021 world champion — stood as the perfect foil. Their rivalry has become one of the sport’s biggest storylines: Hashimoto’s surgical precision versus Zhang’s explosive amplitude. Once separated by mere hundredths (Zhang famously beat Hashimoto by 0.017 in 2021), their latest clash reinforced the theme of legacy versus pursuit. In Chinese media, Zhang called Jakarta “only the beginning of this Olympic cycle,” vowing that “the future will be better.” For fans, it’s the rivalry the sport needs: respectful, thrilling, and symbolic of Japan and China’s enduring gymnastics supremacy.
While the duel for gold drew headlines, the bronze medal was arguably the night’s biggest surprise. Switzerland’s Noe Seifert delivered six clean sets for an 82.831 — earning his nation’s first men’s all-around world medal in 75 years. It was a breakthrough performance, one that elevated Seifert from reliable finalist to legitimate global contender.
Just behind them, a few other names made some of their biggest statements. Ángel Barajas of Colombia stunned the field with sixth place — one of the highest men’s all-around finishes ever for South America — showcasing poise and power beyond his years. Daniel Marinov, competing under the neutral AIN2 banner, brought Russia back into the conversation with a composed seventh-place finish, signaling that his nation’s technical pedigree remains alive and well. And Krisztofer Mészáros capped Hungary’s best all-around result in over a decade, proving the sport’s depth continues to grow far beyond its traditional borders.
Event Finals — Where Legacies Are Derived
The floor exercise final opened the headlines with Britain firmly putting its flag on the map at these Championships. Jake Jarman topped the podium with a 14.866, followed by teammate Luke Whitehouse at 14.666 — a one-two finish signalling a shift in global floor dominance. These two will carry big weight towards Team GB over the next few years, especially when their routine construction is more settled. Paris Floor Champ Carlos Yulo also brought an upgraded routine (5.9 difficulty) to claim the bronze in Jakarta. It’s also worth mentioning, Kameron Nelson began his major international career with two hits. His world-leading 6.3 difficulty, combined with his anticipated move to EVO, certainly solidify him as someone to watch over this quad.
With less than half a point separating the top 8 qualifiers, this year’s preliminary rounds at worlds helped reinforce why pommel horse is often considered the hardest apparatus to medal on in gymnastics. A single rhythm break or subtle wobble can erase podium hopes. With a seeming resurgence of pommel specialists around the globe, this final was sure to be tight. Then, we got the nail-biter of all nail-biters! China’s Hong Yanming and Armenia’s Mamikon Khachatryan both posted an identical total of 14.600, though Yanming’s higher execution (and lower difficulty, inevitably) gave him the tiebreak for gold under current ruling. This final sparks the question - In a sport where technique and difficulty meet elegance and perfection, what should declare the victor in the case of a tie? Patrick Hoopes claimed the bronze with yet another hit routine, narrowly topping European Champion Hamlet Manukyan and rising GB star Alexander Yolshin-Cash.
The still rings final was one to remember — a showcase of control, power, and precision. Nearly half the field competed triple-somersault dismounts, and every finalist displayed near-flawless, gravity-defying strength positions that pushed the limits of human stability. Closing out the rotation was Donnell Whittenburg, in his 12th year representing Team USA, standing beneath the rings with the same goal he had in year one: become a world champion. Like many, Whittenburg’s biggest trouble would be his dismount, with his eponymous triple pike that gave him troubles at the U.S. Championships. Well, he competed masterfully, and when he saluted, it felt as though the weight of a decade had lifted from his shoulders! His composed demeanor and extraordinary strength came together for a moment of true bliss and joy as he earned the first-ever World Rings Title in U.S. history. Behind him were Adem Asil, Lan Xingyu, and Zhang Boheng. Boheng’s fourth place finish in the rings final is quite impressive, considering his silver medal in the All-Around as well.
The vault final delivered pure excellence — both in difficulty and precision. Paris Champion Carlos Yulo entered with a slight difficulty advantage - outside of one 4.8 vault, every other finalist entered with two 5.2 difficulty vaults, outside of Yulo’s massive 5.6 piked Dragalescu. When it was time to perform the 5.6, Carlos Yulo delivered one of the greatest feats in gymnastics history. He stuck it cold, with beautiful form in the air. 5.6/9.5 to earn a 15.100 on his first vault, the victory was merely a waiting game. Or was it? Armenian great Artur Davtyan then competed two of his own vaults, stuck perfectly! As his growing legend status confirms, Davtyan’s performance certainly would have been good for Gold in many years. Given the suddenness and unpredictability of vault, witnessing a final at this caliber was truly great.
The Parallel Bars final was another opportunity for Zou Jingyuan to cast his greatness onto the world. The now four-time world champion dominated both the qualifying and final rounds, earning gold with a 15.300 (6.0/9.3). Jingyuan became the fourth man to ever win four world championships on a single event, and the first to do so on parallel bars. He is clearly the greatest worker of all time on this apparatus, and now the question becomes exactly how long can he continue his brilliance? Meanwhile, a bronze from Russia’s Daniel Marinov (competing under the AIN2 banner) marks a notable comeback for the program, earning Russia’s first medal at a major international event since their team victory at the Tokyo Olympics.
Concluding the round of finals was horizontal bar, with a field full of surprises and uncertain expectations. Japan’s Tomoharu Tsunogai led qualifying by a few tenths with a brilliant 14.800, and all four Paris medalists wouldn’t be present here. In the end, it was once again greatness for Team USA as Brody Malone worked his magic en route to his second world title on high bar. Malone cleaned up his Winkler (done so poorly in day one, he almost didn’t even qualify into the final), nailed both Takomoto elements to handstand (skills notorious for giving Malone struggles), and even elected for the double-double dismount that once forced him to re-learn how to walk thanks to a catastrophic injury. Needless to say, Brody’s breakthrough on these specific elements feel extra special. Rounding out the podium were Daiki Hashimoto and Joe Fraser. We all understand Hashimoto’s greatness, and Fraser’s triple pike combined with high-flying releases should keep him in contention for high bar podiums throughout the quad. The notorious parallel bar worker has a new event to showcase his greatness.
The Takeaway — What This Worlds Proved
As the curtain closed on Jakarta, several themes stood out. Daiki Hashimoto’s three-peat in the all-around etched his name deeper into gymnastics history, reinforcing Japan’s continued dominance at the sport’s highest level. Noe Seifert delivered one of the week’s most unexpected and historic performances, marking a true Swiss breakthrough. Meanwhile, China and the United States emerged as the only countries to claim multiple gold medals this year. This accolade may seem routine for China, but is a true testament to their greatness. For the US, everything about Jakarta after Asher Hong’s injury went about as perfect as it could have! Great Britain’s performance, headlined by multiple finalists and podium finishes, continues the question on if they can become legitimate team medal contenders throughout the quad. As Los Angeles 2028 approaches, all eyes turn to the crossroads of experience and youth — which veterans will take their final bows, and which breakout stars from Jakarta will carry the torch into a new Olympic cycle?
