Format Notes

12 nations are sending full teams to Tokyo. Both these teams and individual competitors (such as Najjar and Penev) will compete in the qualifying round, which serves as qualifying for both the team and individual finals. The qualifying round takes two days, with teams competing together and individuals sorted into groups they compete with.

Five athletes are on each team. Each apparatus may only have four competitors, with the low score dropped. Team members competing in the individual all-around may attempt all apparatuses, even if their team chooses in advance to not use their score on that apparatus. Individual athletes may elect to compete in all apparatuses in order to attempt qualification for the all-around finals, or only compete on the apparatuses they attempt to make the finals of.

After qualifying, eight teams qualify for the team finals. The top 24 individuals qualify for the all-around final, and the top 8 on each apparatus qualify for apparatus finals. No more than two gymnasts from each country can qualify for any given final, both all-around and apparatus.

For all events, qualifying scores do not carry over to finals. At the team finals, three athletes will compete on each apparatus with no scores dropped. The team final happens in a single session, with the top three teams earning medals. Team finals scores do not carry over to individual finals.

The all-around finals happen in a single session, with each athlete performing on all apparatuses and the top 3 earning medals. Each apparatus final also happens in a single session. In all apparatuses except vault, one routine will be performed.

Athlete Bios

Paul Juda, USA (2020-24): Paul Juda is among the most decorated men’s gymnasts in Wolverines history. He is a three time individual National Champion, and a two time individual Big Ten Champion. In 2023 he won the Nissen-Emery Award (the men’s gymnastics Heisman), and in 2022 he was Big Ten Gymnast of the Year. You get the idea, he is good. Juda just barely missed out on the 2020 Olympic team, but was selected for his first Olympics. Juda was part of the US team that won a team bronze at the 2023 World Championships, and also placed fifth in both vault and high bar.

Lais Najjar, Syria (2022-present): Lais Najjar is currently a member of the Wolverine gymnastics team. Najjar is the only Syrian competing in men’s gymnastics, and qualified via one of the spots reserved for nations that are otherwise unlikely to qualify. With that said, Najjar won the all-around at the 2023 Junior Olympics, and has multiple Arab Games gold medals. At Michigan, Najjar has made rotational appearances with the Wolverines, and was a captain in 2024.

Kevin Penev, Bulgaria (2019): Kevin Penev attended Michigan for his Freshman season. A decorated member of the US Junior national team, he elected to compete for Bulgaria in Senior competition. He qualified for the Olympics via an eighth-place finish in vault, and will only compete in vault.

Fred Richard, USA (2022-present): Fred Richard is set to take over from Juda as the Wolverines’ reigning Dude. Richard is a rising junior, and the defending Big Ten Gymnast of the Year. At his first NCAA Championships in 2023, Richard won the high bar, parallel bars, and all-around, and was runner-up on floor. He also has three individual Big Ten Championships. He joined Juda in winning bronze on the 2023 Worlds squad, and added an individual bronze in the all-around. At the recent US Olympic trials, Richard medaled in 4 of the 7 events, including golds in all-around and high bar.