Skye Blakely wins gymnastics worlds all-around gold after two Olympic heartbreaks

Skye Blakely has finally reached the top of world gymnastics, according to ESPN. The 21-year-old American won the women's all-around gold medal on Friday at the 2026 world championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands, capping a comeback years in the making.

Blakely pieced together four polished routines across the rotations to finish atop the leaderboard, ESPN reports. Her beam routine, performed to music she selected herself, helped seal the title before she tearfully draped the American flag over her back.

The gold follows heartbreak that twice ended her Olympic dreams. A teenage prodigy, Blakely injured her elbow at the 2021 Olympic trials, then tore her right Achilles tendon at the 2024 trials, according to ESPN. Rather than rush back, the Dallas native stepped away from elite all-around competition for two years, patiently rebuilding her body and routines while competing as an event specialist for the University of Florida.

"It truly means the world to me, knowing how much I have overcome," Blakely said, ESPN reports, adding that during the meet she told herself to compete for the version of her that missed out in 2021 and 2024.

Algerian star Kaylia Nemour, bidding to become the first African gymnast to claim an all-around world title, mounted a late surge on uneven bars but could not catch Blakely, ESPN reports. Fellow American Claire Pease fell off beam and out of medal contention.

The title arrives two days after the United States' long reign of women's team golds at worlds ended with a second-place finish behind China. Blakely said the victory has boosted her confidence with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics two years away.