Zhang Boheng, the all-around silver medalist at the Olympics and the World Championships the last two years, will miss this month’s worlds in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Zhang, 26, was on China’s initial nominative roster but is no longer on the current list. World Gymnastics posted over the weekend that he “won’t be in Rotterdam.”
He was runner-up to Shinnosuke Oka of Japan at the Paris Olympics and to Daiki Hashimoto of Japan at worlds in 2022 and 2025.
Zhang won the Asian Games all-around title on Sept. 21 over Oka and Hashimoto in Japan.
He also won the 2021 World all-around title, which is the only time since 2019 that a man not from Japan claimed the biggest individual honor in the sport.
In Zhang’s absence, the top contenders for the men’s all-around title on Oct. 22 include Oka, Hashimoto (going for a fourth consecutive world title), European champion Illia Kovtun of Croatia and U.S. champion Frederick Richard, the 2023 World all-around bronze medalist.
Worlds start Saturday with the first day of qualifying.
