Des Moines Boys Gymnastics Team Wins National Championships in Galveston

Seven athletes from Chow’s Gymnastics & Dance Institute won team titles at both Level 7 and Level 9, collecting 35 total medals against more than 200 clubs from across the western United States.

DES MOINES, Iowa, May 1, 2026 — Seven boys gymnasts from Chow’s Gymnastics & Dance Institute in West Des Moines, Iowa, returned home this week as Western National Champions after a dominant performance at the 2026 USA Gymnastics Men’s Development Program Western National Championships, held April 24-26 in Galveston, Texas.

The Chow’s boys team competed at two competitive levels and won both. At Level 9, the team scored 210.65 to claim first place among 109 clubs. At Level 7, the team scored 209.95 to claim first place among 90 clubs. Combined, the seven athletes earned 35 medals: two team titles, three all-around gold medals, ten event gold medals, three all-around silver medals, thirteen event silver medals, and four event bronze medals.

The 2026 USA Gymnastics Men’s Development Program Western National Championships drew competitors from across the western United States. More than 1,500 male athletes competed across the Eastern and Western Championships combined. Qualification is earned through regional competition — gymnasts must advance through state and regional championships to earn a berth at the national level.

The competing athletes — Asher Ballard, Alexander Lazutkin, Emmett Bielski, Sawyer Baccam, Emmitt DeMoss, Merrit Akin, and Jackson Wallin — range in age from 11 to 17. They are coached by Bob Gauthier at Chow’s Gymnastics & Dance Institute in West Des Moines.

Individual highlights include Emmitt DeMoss winning the Level 9 all-around title with a score of 71.1; Merrit Akin taking silver in the Level 9 all-around and gold on still rings; and Jackson Wallin earning Level 9 all-around bronze. At Level 7, Asher Ballard, Alexander Lazutkin, and Emmett Bielski swept the top three all-around positions, with multiple event titles among them.

Men’s artistic gymnastics involves competition on six apparatus: floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars, and high bar. The sport requires years of dedicated training beginning in early childhood. Iowa has only a small number of competitive boys gymnastics programs, making a national championship result a significant achievement for the state.

The Chow’s Boys Booster Club, a parent-led volunteer organization, supports the athletes year-round. Competition highlights and photos are available at chowsboysgymnastics.com and on Facebook at facebook.com/chowsboysboosterclub.