MISSOULA — Helena native Reese Esponda earned a silver medal in the women's floor exercise Sunday at the 2026 Artistic World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands, four days after qualifying for the LA 2028 Olympics as part of the U.S. women's gymnastics team.
Esponda finished with a 13.566 score in Sunday's floor final, placing behind teammate Claire Pease, who scored a 13.866. It was the second silver medal of the Championships for Esponda, who was making her debut on the World stage.
Earlier during the competition, the American team of Esponda, Pease, Skye Blakely, Charleigh Bullock and Dulcy Caylor scored an overall 165.531 to claim the silver medal in the team competition. The U.S. finished just behind China, which won gold with a 165.764. Japan placed third with a 164.063, as the top three teams earned spots at the Olympic Games in 2028.
The U.S. women finished with seven total medals at the Artistic World Championships, which were the first major team competition since the 2024 Paris Olympics. Blakely led the way with a gold medal in the women's all-around and bronze medals in the vault and uneven bars.
In addition to her floor gold, Pease also won silver in the vault.
Esponda, 17, is currently a senior in high school in Shenandoah, Texas, and has committed to compete in college at LSU. She was born in Helena, moved to Missoula in 2020 and relocated to Texas in 2024.
After making the U.S. Junior National Team in 2023, Esponda's star has continued to rise. This year, she placed second in the floor exercise at the Winter Cup in February, helped Team USA win the Jesolo Trophy in March, claimed the individual all-around title at the U.S. Classic in July and won the floor exercise and finished fourth in the all-around at the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships in August.
Following the U.S. Championships, she was named to the 2026-27 Senior National Team.
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