How Kaia Tanskanen Balances Being a Part of Missouri and Finnish History

Finnish and Missouri gymnast, Kaia Tanskanen, has the gift of gymnastics within her DNA. Her uncle Jani Tanskanen is the 1997 World Champion on high bar for Finland. Her father, Juha Tanskanen, was also a World Championship competitor for Finland, and coached Jani to the high bar title before moving to the United States and becoming an assistant for the Michigan men’s gymnastics team. Her mother, Kim Tanskanen was a collegiate gymnast for Iowa. The family support has long been a major factor to Kaia’s gymnastics successes. 

Tanskanen has been on the rise in 2025. She was a part of Missouri gymnastics history, helping them to a third place finish at the 2025 NCAA National Championships. Just weeks after the history-making meet, she competed at the Finnish National Championships, locking her spot to the European Championships. This was Tanskanen’s fourth appearance at a European Championships, and it was her best finish yet. She finished eleventh in the All-Around final, and had the opportunity to participate in the inaugural Mixed Team Final with her boyfriend and Finnish National All-Around champion, Robert Kirmes. Being the guinea pigs for the event was a unique experience. 

“I think everyone had no idea how that competition was gonna go, just because it was new and it was the first time happening,” Tanskanen said. “I mean, I’m super happy and grateful that I was a part of history in that event for the first time. It was definitely a lot different and confusing at first, because you had to pick what event you would do first, and then what event you would do second and last even if you didn’t make it to the next round. It was kind of confusing, but I think it was just really, really fun to do that with Robert, and I think he also feels the same way about us making history and doing that event for the first time. But I think definitely for the future, that’s another competition I want to aim for every time they have that there.”

Tanskanen’s busy spring in the NCAA led her straight into the Elite season. She spent time during the college season training her Elite skills and routines in order to be best prepared for the summer ahead.

 “I was, like, not fully prepared, going into Finnish Championships which was like a month or two before Europeans,” she said. “I had fallen on everything. So I thought, oh my gosh, it’s been a while. I just was like, I’m just going to forget about Finnish Championships. And I had the goal to make All-Around final, and I had the goal to do the Mixed Team Final [At Europeans] obviously, with my boyfriend, because that would be really cool. We started on beam, and that’s kind of nerve-wracking starting on beam. I made the beam routine, and I was like, okay, the rest is like smooth sailing. I think going into Europeans, I changed my mindset of enjoy the moment, and don’t let the pressure get to me. I think just enjoying it and having fun and knowing I can do it.”

Tanskanen was able to showcase her gymnastics at the highest level and achieve top results just weeks after an incredible NCAA season. Being able to quickly be back in the Elite zone of gymnastics somewhat surprised her. 

“It was really hard over regionals and nationals to train my Elite stuff, because we were focused on that season. But I think I had done Elite training throughout the whole year, on and off within my college stuff, and I’ve learned more now how to balance both at the same time.” 

Throughout the NCAA season Tanskanen would either go to practice early or stay after to practice Elite skills and routines. That commitment is something she carries with herself in and out of gymnastics and is a key reason behind her monumental success in the sport. Europeans reignited confidence in herself and helped her realize that she belongs at the top of sport. After Europeans, she feels that she can do even more, and that Europeans was just the start.

Freshman Star 

Tanskanen’s Freshman season in the NCAA started slow as a steady member of the vault lineup, before an injury forced her to sit out of meets in the middle of the season. She admits that the perfection of college gymnastics was a change from the Elite scene of performing major skill after major skill. However, she was determined to not give up and knew she could soon become a steady member of Mizzou’s lineups. This determination was on full display during Missouri’s dual meet against Georgia in late February. Tanskanen was not originally scheduled to compete her floor routine, however a last minute change moments before her routine placed her into the lineup spot. She handled the pressure with ease, becoming just the third Tiger to score a 9.9+ score in their event debut since 2020. 

“I think just seeing those scores, and me scoring, equivalent scores to my teammates, I was like, Okay, I belong in these lineup. So I think after that, mid season, it really connected in my brain that okay, I can do this.”

It was a dream season for the Mizzou Gymnastics squad. The Tigers finished third in the NCAA National finals, their best finish ever at the National Championships. Tanskanen thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this undeniable team and being a member of each history making moment. She describes the season as “crazy, exciting, undeniable.” 

“Once we knew that we made it and that we knew that we belonged there, then it was just, easy riding, and then we were just going with the flow, and we were happy that we were just there,” Tanskanen said. “I think that took a lot of the pressure off, and then that’s just what kind of helped us make the final four. We were so ecstatic about that. That was the best thing that could have ever happened and we got third on top of that. So it was just crazy.”

Heading into the 2026 season, she is looking to continue to be a consistent member of the vault and floor lineup, while also getting action on bars and beam, become an All-American, and of course take a trip back to Fort Worth for the National Championships.

Ready For More

Following the success at the European Championships, Tanskanen took time to reset in Greece with her boyfriend Robert and Missouri teammates Mara Titarsolej and Helen Hu. This was a much needed vacation before a busy summer going back and forth from her home gym in Michigan to Mizzou, while preparing major upgrades for the rest of the Elite season. One of these upgrades includes a double-double on floor. Tanskanen unveiled this skill at the Paris World Challenge Cup. She became the first Finnish woman to successfully compete the double-double in competition, making history for Finland. Tanskanen followed up this historic moment by winning bronze in the floor final. This was a surreal moment for and gives her extra motivation heading into next month’s World Championships. 

“It felt super surreal and I was so happy with myself that I managed to stay in first leading up to the seventh girl competing in the final and seeing my score hold in a good spot for that long was just super exciting and then seeing the final result was so overwhelming and exciting and I just honestly was shocked,” Tanskanen said. “I think competing the double-double gives me extra motivation for worlds because I know I can confidently and successfully compete it and it makes me want to strive for more upgrades on other events as well. I was also super proud of myself for competing the double-double and making history for Finland and competing it for the first time for myself as well!”

A key reason behind Tanskanen’s success is the support she receives from her support system in Missouri. From the Mizzou coaching staff helping her balance both NCAA and Elite gymnastics to her professors accommodating her busy schedule, Tanskanen can feel the support from every end of her University. 

“There’s so much support from all of them,” she said. “Even outside of just the coaches in the gym. Brad our trainer, he’s so supportive. Honestly, everybody’s been so supportive, and the coaching staff has been beyond supportive, and they’ve been working with me really well just to get these routines down and get these skills going. Obviously we’re not in season right now, so everyone else isn’t doing routines, but I’m in the gym doing routines. So they’ve just been super supportive and really helping me and motivating me to get these skills, because they know I can do it, and I also know that. It’s just been really nice that they have my back and that they’re willing to go the extra mile to help me.”

Tanskanen will now be looking ahead to competing at the World Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia, where she has goals of making both the All-Around and floor final. Catch Tanskanen on one of gymnastics’ biggest stages October 19-25.

Subscribe to Inside Gymnastics for 3 Years and receive a free gift!