American gymnast Donnell Whittenburg refuses to let age define the course of his career.
He has defied all odds and made history in the sport, and is determined to keep the fire going even in his thirties.
Whittenburg recently won the 2025 World Championship gold medal on the still rings, becoming the first and oldest American man to win a World title in the still rings. Following the historic achievement, he now has his sights set on competing in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Donnell Whittenburg’s Take on Age Bias in Gymnastics
Before the artistic gymnast won gold in his most recent appearance in Jakarta, his last medal was bronze on vault in Glasgow, a decade ago. At the time, he was 21, and it seemed like his career had peaked. However, his feat in Jakarta proved otherwise.
Speaking about his achievements, the 31-year-old World Champion expressed his determination to continue competing for as long as possible, regardless of his age. He also shed light on the brevity of gymnasts’ lifecycles, noting that there’s no use giving up when he still feels confident enough to compete.
“I thought, ‘I still have a great shot at doing this. Why stop? Why not really see how far you take this?’ Guys in our 30s, we’re not dead. We can still do stuff, everything just hurts a little more,” he said, per The Baltimore Banner.
Whittenburg isn’t the only one who believes his age is not a barrier. His coach, Syque Caesar, who shares the same sentiment, agreed that the gymnast is proof that “when you get older, you can, in fact, get better.”
Caesar also noted that, despite the preconceived notion that one gets weaker with age, Whittenburg has a real chance at making the 2028 Olympic team. Notably, should he be included in the team, he would be the oldest competitor in the senior group.
The coach further applauded Whittenburg’s dedication to partaking in more difficult training routines since they started working together eight months ago. To him, the athlete’s success was “bound to happen” because he was earning the fruits of his labour.
How Donnell Whittenburg Spent His 31st Birthday ‘Upgrading’
Whittenburg turned 31 on August 18, and he spent his day sweating it out in the gym. He uploaded a short video on Instagram, giving fans a peek into his rigorous training routine.
The Baltimore native wrote in the caption, “Not aging, just upgrading. Version 3.1 💪🏿👍🏿”
He also acknowledged that a lot has happened this year, likely referring to the ruptured Achilles tendon that put him on crutches at the beginning of the year.
