[Note to readers: the feature story below includes videos where Ruben Padilla tells his story in his own words. Please click all videos to get the full story of Ruben’s success!]
With the 2025 FIG Trampoline World Championships in full swing in Pamplona, Spain, Ruben Padilla has set his sights on even higher heights to punctuate a historic season for himself and the American gymnastics community.
A four-time World and eight-time U.S. champion, Padilla has amassed an impressive collection of medals and honors in his eight-year career as a senior. Just this season, the young trampolinist has won his first and second World Cup gold medals, complete with a personal best individual trampoline score of 62.200; secured the 2025 World Cup Double Mini Series title; and broke the World difficulty record in double mini trampoline at the 2025 Coimbra World Cup in Portugal.
That level of success was by no means a guarantee for Padilla, who describes contemplating retirement in the video below:
It’s a good thing Padilla didn’t go through with his plans of retirement because in 2025 he has become the most decorated trampoline and tumbling athlete in U.S. history. Heading into Pamplona, Padilla has tallied 23 World Cup and World Championship medals to date, surpassing the 20 won by 2022 Spirit of the Flame Award winner Kalon Ludvigson during his nine-year Senior National Team career.
After winning World Cup gold and breaking World records, Padilla reflected on how quickly things turned around in the season:
Padilla’s gold in Antibes also is the first U.S. individual trampoline World Cup gold since Charlotte Drury in 2014 and the first American men’s gold since Logan Dooley in 2009. With his name now stamped into the history books, Padilla attributes his success to his vast support system:
With everyone behind him, Padilla has laid out his goals and hopes for the Pamplona World Championships:
Fans can watch Padilla’s story continue to unfold at the 2025 FIG Trampoline World Championships November 5-9 in Pamplona, Spain. Visit live.gymnastics.sport for all information on the championships, and Padilla’s personal biography page for additional insight into all he’s accomplished as U.S. athlete.