Donnell Whittenburg, the 2025 World champion on still rings, will miss next month’s Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, and most likely October’s World Championships, after partially tearing his bicep and rotator cuff.
Whittenburg, a two-time Olympic alternate, said in a video posted Friday that he sustained the injuries on rings in June and that his expected recovery time is about six weeks.
“With the Olympic Games closing in, I have to be really smart and strategic to put myself in the best possible position that I can to stay healthy when that time comes,” he said.
Last October, Whittenburg, 31, became the first American to win a world title on rings, earning his third career world medal across all events -- his first in 10 years and his first gold.
If he makes the Los Angeles 2028 team, he will be the oldest U.S. Olympic gymnast since 1952, according to the OlyMADMen.
“I knew that my body was still good to do gymnastics, but it all started up here (in my head),” Whittenburg told GymCastic at worlds. “How bad do I still want to go for that dream? I knew that if my body’s still good, why not keep pushing for it?”
