Stanford gymnast Kai Uemura and recent graduate Colt Walker will represent Team USA at the 2025 FISU World University Games in Essen, Germany. The event will take place from July 23 to July 26.
The pair are part of a five-man roster that includes Tate Costa from Illinois, Patrick Hoopes from Air Force, and Alex Nitache from Nebraska. The men’s artistic gymnastics competition schedule is as follows:
– July 23: Team Final / Individual Qualification at 9:30 a.m.
– July 25: Men’s All-Around Final at 4 a.m.
– July 26: Men’s Floor Exercise Final at 4 a.m., Pommel Horse Final at 5:19 a.m., Still Rings Final at 6:39 a.m., Vault Final at 9 a.m., Parallel Bars Final at 10:21 a.m., Horizontal Bar Final at 11:39 a.m.
Colt Walker spoke about their preparation for the games. “Prior to traveling to Germany for the World University Games, our team decided to arrive in Europe a bit early to give ourselves more time to acclimate to the time zone of the competition,” he said. He mentioned organizing a training camp in Barcelona with help from assistant coach Ruben Lopez-Martinez, who has extensive experience with the Spanish national team.
Walker emphasized how this preparation helped them adjust and bond as a team. “We arrived in Germany already adjusted and ready to hit the ground running for podium training,” he added. He also noted how experiencing Barcelona’s culture contributed positively to their readiness for the competition.
“Trips like this are rare, and taking advantage to experience another culture alongside new teammates made it even more meaningful,” Walker concluded, expressing gratitude towards those who facilitated their journey.
