In a high-calibre final defined by the tension that comes with major international events, Sol Scott and Evan McPhillips delivered two more standout performances for British gymnastics at the 2025 Junior Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Manila. Scott claimed silver, underlining his remarkable consistency on vault, while McPhillips produced a spectacular climb from eighth place to secure bronze. These results continue the strong momentum already seen at European competitions and the European Youth Olympic Festival.
For several months now, both gymnasts have established themselves as leading figures within European junior gymnastics. At just 17 and 18 years old, Evan McPhillips and Sol Scott have already collected a wealth of honours before even arriving in Manila. McPhillips in particular emerged as the breakout star of the 2025 European Youth Olympic Festival in Osijek. There, he claimed gold in the individual all-around with a score of 78.600, finishing a mere tenth ahead of Italy’s Ivan Rigon – a performance that showcased an exceptional level of technical maturity. Earlier that day, he had also guided his country to the team title, demonstrating his ability to lead a squad to the top, before collecting further individual apparatus medals.
That victory continued the promising trajectory of a gymnast who was already a junior European team champion in 2024, and whose versatility across all six apparatus has long marked him out as one of the continent’s most complete young prospects. McPhillips excels across the board – from floor to parallel bars – but particularly on vault, where his explosive power and rotational control set him apart.
Alongside him in the national team, Sol Scott has never been far behind. A junior European team champion in 2023, Scott truly made his mark on vault at the 2024 European Championships in Rimini, where he claimed gold with a stunning level of control: two vaults each scoring 14.466, a rare combination of stability and precision for a junior gymnast. That performance remains one of the clearest indicators of his long-term potential on the apparatus.
In Rimini, Scott also played a major role in securing the United Kingdom’s team title, forming a strong line-up with McPhillips, Chowdhury, Langton and Fawzi-McCaffrey. His composure under pressure, ability to stick his landings and maintain a high execution standard make him one of the most reliable vaulters of his generation.
A high-flying final in Manila: silver for Scott, bronze for McPhillips
Qualification had already set the tone: Sol Scott secured second place with a 14.133 average, solidly positioned behind Russia’s Arsenii Dukhno. Meanwhile, Evan McPhillips squeezed into the final in eighth, thanks to an excellent first vault (14.100) but hampered by a weaker second attempt (12.933). His task for the final was therefore simple: produce two clean, confident vaults – exactly the kind he is capable of – and a medal would be within reach.
In the final, Scott opened with a superb 14.300 (D 5.2 / E 9.1), echoing the level he displayed in Rimini. His second vault, slightly less stable at 13.833, still secured him a 14.066 average and the silver medal. It was a performance of genuine quality, once again demonstrating his rare consistency at major events – something that can be difficult to achieve among junior gymnasts.
But the moment of the final arguably came from Evan McPhillips. Competing last, he matched Scott’s first vault with a 14.300 of his own – a textbook demonstration of height, form and control. His second vault, slightly lower at 13.600, was enough to lift him onto the podium with a 13.950 average, overtaking several gymnasts who had ranked ahead of him in qualifying.
Ahead of the British pair, only Arsenii Dukhno managed to maintain a clear advantage, comfortably dominating the event to take gold with a 14.333 average. Behind him, Britain celebrated a historic double: silver for Sol Scott, bronze for Evan McPhillips – yet more proof that British junior gymnastics has rarely looked stronger.
Building on that momentum, the team final offered a broader picture of the field and highlighted the current gap between the leading nations in junior men’s gymnastics. China topped the standings with 163.095 points, driven by an exceptionally balanced team particularly strong on parallel bars and floor. With scores regularly exceeding 14 – notably from Wang Chengcheng and Yang Lanbin – the Chinese gymnasts built a decisive lead through clean execution and trademark stability.
Japan finished second with 162.429 points, just tenths behind, continuing the long-running rivalry between the two Asian powerhouses and reaffirming their dominance on the world stage. The technical precision of Nao Ojima and the consistency of Eijun Yasui kept the Japanese in contention, helped by a particularly solid rotation on parallel bars and pommel horse. The United States completed the podium (162.329 points), led by the impressive Danila Leykin, whose performances on floor and high bar were among the finest of the competition. Their bronze was decided by the slimmest of margins over Japan, but also signalled the revival of a US junior team that had been quieter in recent years.
The United Kingdom ultimately finished fifth with 158.529 points – a result that reflected more the current gap in difficulty than major errors. Uzair Chowdhury dropped a few valuable points on floor and pommel horse, while McPhillips and Scott, flawless on vault, struggled to make the same impact on strength-based apparatus such as rings. Even so, the team’s potential remains considerable: Britain is one of the few nations capable of placing two vaulters on the same world final podium, and the squad retains significant room for growth ahead of future European and world events.
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