Rin Keys became the first American to win a medal at a World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, taking silver in the ball routine.
Keys, a 16-year-old from Porter Ranch, California, scored 29.050 points, taking runner-up to reigning Olympic and world all-around champion Darja Varfolomeev of Germany.
“I can’t believe this actually happened,” Keys said. “I was just trying to enjoy myself in the carpet and to show who I really am.”
In 2023, Keys won the first U.S. medal at a junior worlds (bronze, clubs).
In rhythmic gymnastics, the lone individual event at the Olympics is the all-around, which combined results from ball, hoop, clubs and ribbon routines.
At the biennial worlds, there is an all-around competition, plus separate ball, hoop, clubs and ribbon finals.
Keys took seventh in the all-around final at these worlds, the best U.S. finish in that event since Laura Zeng was sixth in 2017.
The best U.S. Olympic finish in rhythmic gymnastics was ninth out of nine teams in the group event at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Individually, Valerie Zimring and Zeng placed 11th in the all-around in 1984 and 2016, respectively.
16-year-old Rin Keys made history with this performance to become the first American to win a rhythmic gymnastics world championships medal! 🇺🇸🥈@USAGym pic.twitter.com/cXZiRIzAYR
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 24, 2025
