Canada will be represented at the 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Frankfurt, Germany, as competition opens Aug. 12 at the Festhalle Frankfurt. The national delegation includes athletes in both individual and group events, signalling Canadian ambition on the world stage as roughly 300 of the sport’s top competitors gather for five days of qualifying and finals.
Who’s competing for Canada
In individual competition Canada’s entries are Jana Alemam of Ontario and Erica Lee of British Columbia. Although named to the Canadian squad, Suzanna Shahbazian of Quebec will not compete due to injury. Canada’s group line-up features six gymnasts, all from Ontario: Berna Ablikim, Elise Ghosh, Carmel Kallemaa, Alyssa Levytskyy, Martina Ma and Puthapanya Suwaree.
Event format and what to watch
The World Championships run Aug. 12–16 and begin with individual qualification sessions before moving into all-around and apparatus finals. From qualification, the top 18 individual gymnasts advance to the Individual All-Around Final, while the top eight on each apparatus move on to the Individual Apparatus Finals. Group competition follows a similar advancement structure, with the top eight groups on each apparatus progressing to the Group Apparatus Finals.
- Dates: Aug. 12–16, 2026
- Venue: Festhalle Frankfurt, Germany
- Canadian individual entrants: Jana Alemam (ON), Erica Lee (BC)
- Canadian group: Berna Ablikim, Elise Ghosh, Carmel Kallemaa, Alyssa Levytskyy, Martina Ma, Puthapanya Suwaree (all ON)
- Not competing due to injury: Suzanna Shahbazian (QC)
Competition schedule (local Frankfurt time)
| Day | Session | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, Aug. 12 | Individual Qualification – Day 1 | 9:00 a.m.–10:30 p.m. |
| Thursday, Aug. 13 | Individual Qualification – Day 2 | 9:00 a.m.–10:30 p.m. |
| Friday, Aug. 14 | Individual All-Around Final | 4:00–9:00 p.m. |
| Saturday, Aug. 15 | Group Qualification & Group All-Around Final | ~10:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Sunday, Aug. 16 | Individual & Group Apparatus Finals | 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
The Canadian group is scheduled to perform in the Group All-Around on Saturday, Aug. 15. Individual qualification sessions begin on Wednesday, giving the country's two entrants several days to vie for places in the all-around and apparatus finals.
Broadcast and results
Fans in Canada and elsewhere can follow the championships through Eurovision Sport where regional rights permit, and official schedules and results will be posted by World Gymnastics and the Frankfurt 2026 event site. Live viewing windows will vary by territory, so supporters should check local listings for coverage.
This world-level meet offers a valuable measuring stick for Canadian rhythmic gymnastics. Performance in Frankfurt will not only reflect the current strength of the athletes named to the roster but will also feed into longer-term development planning and selection conversations as the sport prepares for future major events.
While injury has sidelined one named athlete, the presence of both individual and group entries underscores Canada’s intent to remain competitive across formats on the international circuit.
