What are the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships?
The World Artistic Gymnastics Championships are the sport's world titles — first held in Antwerp in 1903, now annual outside Olympic years. Jakarta 2025 delivered the latest drama: Angelina Melnikova's second all-around crown (and a first world vault title), in the first Worlds staged in Indonesia.[1] [2]
| Season | Pool / Format | Host cities |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jakarta (INA) | Melnikova's 2nd AA crown + first vault title — first Worlds in Indonesia |
| 2023 | Antwerp (BEL) | Biles returns — record 6th AA world title |
| 2022 | Liverpool (GBR) | |
| 2021 | Kitakyushu (JPN) | |
| 2019 | Stuttgart (GER) | Biles reaches 25 world medals |
| 2018 | Doha (QAT) | |
| 2017 | Montréal (CAN) | |
| 2015 | Glasgow (GBR) | |
| 2014 | Nanning (CHN) | |
| 2013 | Antwerp (BEL) | Biles's first AA world title |
Host cities of recent editions, with headline moments.
How do gymnasts qualify?
Federations enter through continental qualification and world ranking, with team, all-around and apparatus finals decided from a single qualification round — and Worlds results carrying Olympic qualification weight through each cycle.[2] [3]
Why do they matter?
Between Games the Worlds are gymnastics' summit — Biles's record 23 world titles define modern greatness — and a Worlds medal or a skill named there is a permanent line in the sport's official history.[1] [3]
References
- Olympics.com — Melnikova claims second world all-around crown (Jakarta 2025). Accessed August 2026.
- FIG — official site. Accessed August 2026.
- Olympics.com — 2025 Worlds: full results. Accessed August 2026.