Russian gymnasts reflect on return to world stage

The athletes competed under a neutral flag, finishing fourth in the overall medal count at the 2025 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta

Russia’s artistic gymnasts have expressed satisfaction with their results and the judging standards at the 2025 Artistic Gymnastics World Championship in Jakarta, which marked their first major international appearance in nearly four years.

Competing under neutral status, Russian athletes placed fourth overall with four medals: two gold, one silver, and one bronze. They finished behind China, Japan, and the US.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, the athletes and coaches said the event showed they could still compete among the world’s best.

Head coach Dmitry Andreev said that after the team’s long break from global competition, their return “went according to the best possible scenario.” He described the judging as fair and consistent, adding that the atmosphere among coaches and rivals was friendly and respectful. Andreev noted that future plans depend on the upcoming European Gymnastics Congress, which will decide whether Russian athletes can participate in the 2026 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships.

Olympic and world champion Angelina Melnikova, who won two gold medals in the all-around and vault and a silver on uneven bars, said she was thrilled to be competing internationally again and that her all-around victory was “unexpected.” She admitted that the three and a half years of isolation were “a very difficult” period, comparing it to the early months of the Covid pandemic. “We didn’t know how we would be judged, so I went out there with no expectations,” she said.

Bronze medalist Daniel Marinov, who recently recovered from shoulder surgery, said the Jakarta competition had given him a new level of motivation. He said performing on the world stage helped him revive his drive to train harder.

Assistant coach Konstantin Pluzhnikov praised the younger gymnasts for reaching the finals in their first world championship appearances, while team members Leila Vasileva, Anna Kalmykova, and Lyudmila Roshina spoke about the “amazing atmosphere” and “friendly crowd” at the Indonesia Arena.