In 2026, we’re launching a brand-new monthly gymnastics show on The Sam Oldham Podcast. Across the year, you can expect deep dives into the biggest names in the sport, the major storylines building toward championship events, and post-competition debriefs featuring some of the most passionate experts and analysts in artistic gymnastics.

In this week’s episode, we look ahead to the start of the competition season for both the British and American MAG teams, highlighting the athletes to watch as the year unfolds. Max Whitlock announced his comeback at the end of 2025, and we discuss how he could factor into the three major championships taking place in 2026.

The NCAA season is now underway, with major stars such as Asher Hong and Frederick Richard aiming to lead their teams toward a national title this spring. We also discuss two of the biggest names in men’s artistic gymnastics currently in the process of switching nationalities. Manrique Larduet, the 2015 World All-Around silver medalist and horizontal bar bronze medalist for Cuba, is hoping to represent Italy going forward. Meanwhile, Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist Ilia Kovtun, formerly of Ukraine, is now based in Croatia with ambitions of competing for them at the LA 2028 Olympic Games.

This year, we plan to continue sharing the incredible stories of the very best athletes in the sport of gymnastics. A huge thank you to our listeners, sponsors, and supporters for being part of the journey.

Welcome to Episode 1 of the Gymnastics Show.