The World Championships is undoubtedly a vitally important competition—no surprise there. But just how big is it? How much weight does it really hold on who makes the 2016 Olympic team? We’ve put together a list of the Olympic teams from the past several quadrenniums—each preceded by the Worlds team from the year prior—to get a better look at how closely they match up.

In most instances, a very large portion of the Olympic team is made up of athletes who qualified for the Worlds team the year before. It seems as though in the recent years, the Worlds teams have been more influential than ever before on who makes the Olympic team. Five of the six members on the 2008 Olympic team were also on the 2007 Worlds team. Additionally, from 2011 to 2012, four members qualified for both the Worlds and Olympic teams. And, the fifth member—Kyla Ross—was a junior in 2011 and not eligible for the Worlds team.

Below: Bolded are the gymnasts that qualified for both the Worlds and Olympic teams in each respective pairing.

1983 World Championships Team
Budapest, Hungary
Pam Bileck
Kathy Johnson-Clarke
Julianne McNamara-Zeile
Kelly Garrison-Steves
Yumi Mordre
Tanya Service-Chaplin

1984 Olymic Team
Los Angeles, California
Pam Bileck
Kathy Johnson-Clarke
Julianne McNamara-Zeile
Mary Lou Retton-Kelly
Michelle Dusserre-Farrell
Tracee Talavera
(Lucy Wener - injured)

1987 World Championship Team
Rotterdam, Netherlands

Rhonda Faehn
Kelly Garrison-Steves
Melissa Marlowe
Phoebe Mills
Sabrina Mar
Kristie Phillips

1988 Olympic Team
Seoul, South Korea
Rhonda Faehn
Kelly Garrison-Steves
Melissa Marlowe
Phoebe Mills
Hope Spivey-Sheeley
Chelle Stack
Brandy Johnson-Scharpf

1991 World Championships Team
Indianapolis, Indiana
Kim Zmeskal
Shannon Miller
Kerri Strug
Betty Okino
Michelle Campi
Hilary Grivich

1992 Olympic Team
Barcelona, Spain
Kim Zmeskal
Shannon Miller
Kerri Strug
Betty Okino
Wendy Bruce
Dominque Dawes

1995 World Championships Team
Sabae, Japan
Shannon Miller
Dominique Moceanu
Kerri Strug
Jaycie Phelps
Donielle Thompson
Mary Beth Arnold
Theresa Kulikowski

1996 Olympic Team
Atlanta, Georgia
Shannon Miller
Dominique Moceanu
Kerri Strug
Jaycie Phelps
Dominique Dawes
Amy Chow
Amanda Borden

1999 World Championships Team
Tianjin, China
Kristen Maloney
Elise Ray
Jamie Dantzcher
Morgan White
Vanessa Atler
Jeanette Antolin
Jennie Thompson

2000 Olympics Team
Sydney, Australia
Kristen Maloney
Elise Ray
Jamie Dantzcher
(Morgan White - injured)
Amy Chow
Tasha Schwikert
Dominique Dawes

2003 World Championships Team
Anaheim, California
Carly Patterson
Courtney Kupets
Terin Humphrey
Chellsie Memmel
Tasha Schwikert
Hollie Vise

2004 Olympic Team
Athens, Greece
Carly Patterson
Courtney Kupets
Terin Humphrey
Mohini Bhardwaj
Annia Hatch
Courtney McCool

2007 World Championships Team
Stuttgart, Germany
Shawn Johnson
Nastia Liukin
Sam Peszek
Alicia Sacramone
Bridget Sloan
Shayla Worley
Ivana Hong

2008 Olympic Team
Beijing, China
Shawn Johnson
Nastia Liukin
Sam Peszek
Alicia Sacramone
Bridget Sloan
Chellsie Memmel

2011 World Championships Team
Tokyo, Japan
Gabby Douglas
Aly Raisman
Jordyn Wieber
McKayla Maroney
Alicia Sacramone
Sabrina Vega

2012 Olympic Team
London, England
Gabby Douglas
Aly Raisman
Jordyn Wieber
McKayla Maroney
Kyla Ross

Below are the athletes that are in the running to make the 2015 Worlds Team.

2015 World Championships Selection Squad:
Alyssa Baumann
Simone Biles
Nia Dennis
Madison Desch
Gabrielle Douglas
Brenna Dowell
Rachel Gowey
Amelia Hundley
Bailie Key
Madison Kocian
Ashton Locklear
Maggie Nichols
Aly Raisman
Kyla Ross
MyKayla Skinner

The World Championships training squad will attend the training camp Sept. 12-16 and the World Selection Camp, Oct. 6-9, at the USA Gymnastics National Team Training Center at the Karolyi Ranch. The 2015 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships will be held from from October 23 through November 1 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Who do you think will make the 2015 World Championships Team? Tell us in the comments below!


Related:
2015 World Championships Expected To Be Biggest In FIG History
2015 World Championships Training Squad Announced