Earlier this week, Team USA withdrew from the FIG World Cup stage in Antalya, Turkey, citing safety concerns amid regional unrest. The lineup included Brandan Dang, Patty Hoopes, Fred Richard, and Donnell Whittenburg, who were scheduled to travel before USA Gymnastics announced the decision. The federation also confirmed the team will skip the Cairo leg, prompting other nations to reassess their participation.

The Armenian men’s artistic gymnastics team had a training camp in Doha to practice for the Antalya event. However, due to the current situation, several air routes have been restricted, leaving the team unable to travel. The event has already started, and athletes will not be able to reach Turkey in time.

This is a severe blow for the Armenian team, as they had not even participated in the second leg of the World Cup, which was in Baku, Azerbaijan. The two nations have a long-standing geopolitical conflict; as a result, athletes often choose not to travel to each other’s countries. 

The Armenian gymnasts competed in the opening leg of the World Cup in Cottbus, Germany, where they enjoyed strong results with a gold medal on rings and a silver on pommel horse. That performance put them in a promising position in the overall standings, but missing two consecutive events has now dealt a major blow to their chances.

In the 2025 World Cup series, Armenia was one of the dominant countries globally. They won a total of 13 medals in the circuit, out of which 9 were gold. The gymnast who won the most medals for them was Artur Davtyan.

He claimed four gold medals and one bronze, earning the overall vault title for the year. The next most decorated gymnast was 18-year-old prodigy Hamlet Manukyan, who captured three consecutive golds in the pommel horse across three phases. Together, the team finished sixth in the overall standings.

Now, the team will have to wait before they can improve their result at the touranment. Not to mention, Team USA’s withdrawal from the Antalya stage has undoubtedly impacted their World Cup campaign. But, will it even hurt their chances to qualify for the World Championships in Rotterdam?

Team USA’s performance before withdrawing from the Turkey leg 

Many of the veteran gymnasts are not competing for Team USA at the World Cup series. Therefore, they have developed a bunch of young athletes to represent the country. 

After the conclusion of two legs, they have only managed to win one bronze medal in the Artistic series. Kameron Nelson won the medal on the rings, scoring 13.866 points. Meanwhile, they won three medals in the Trampoline and Tumbling circuit, one silver and two bronze. 

Last year’s performance was much better than this year’s campaign so far. The team won 10 medals across categories and genders. The most decorated athlete in this circuit was Claire Pease, who won one gold medal and three silver medals at the Antalya World Cup.

The USA generally uses the World Cup series to develop talent for the national team. Their main focus remains the World Championships and the Olympics. Being the host nation, they are already qualified for the Games. Otherwise, they usually field their primary team in the Olympic year, as that year’s apparatus events directly influence qualification.

After the withdrawal from the Antalya and Cairo World Cups, notable names like Donnell Whittenburg and Patrick Hoopes have been reassigned to the Osijek World Cup in Croatia in April.

The American team delivered strong performances at the American Cup, which is part of the World Cup series, with a different format. They earned a team silver medal on the uneven bars, with standout efforts by Hezly Rivera and Charleigh Bullock. This definitely boosted their chances for World Championship qualification, but withdrawing from the Turkey stage will likely hurt their standing.

The top 8 gymnasts per apparatus across the World Cup series will qualify for Rotterdam. Some of Team USA’s contenders include Nelson, Khoi Young, Rivera, Bullock, Richard, and some returning veterans like Skye Blakely, Joscelyn Roberson, and Leanne Wong.

Their withdrawal from the Turkey stage has hurt their standings in the World Cup rankings. However, they still have two more phases scheduled next month, though Qatar’s event is uncertain. In Croatia, they will aim to recover lost ground and strengthen their chances of qualifying for the World Championships in Rotterdam.