A conversation with Leanne Wong and Kayla DiCello, where they reflect on their Olympics and World experiences, heading to Florida, and more.

CALI, Colombia, November 28, 2021 – U.S. athletes claimed six medals on the first day of artistic gymnastics apparatus finals Sunday at the Junior Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia. Madray Johnson of Dallas, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, Toby Liang of Roswell, Ga./Roswell Gymnastics, David Shamah of McKinney, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, and Tiana Sumanasekera of Pleasanton, Calif./West Valley Gymnastics each added a second gold medal to their haul following U.S. wins in the men’s and women’s team finals at the Coliseo el Pueblo earlier in the week.

INDIANAPOLIS, November 17, 2021 – USA Gymnastics today announced the U.S. women’s artistic team for the upcoming 2021 Junior Pan American Games. The inaugural event will be held November 25-December 5 in Cali, Colombia. The below gymnasts were named based on their performances at the November Junior National Team camp in Indianapolis.

Junior Elite Levi Jung-Ruivivar dealt with adversity before in her gymnastics career, but the past few months have certainly been the most challenging. By finding strength and inspiration around her, she's motivated to become stronger and set the bar even higher.

In June 2016, Alyssa Baumann’s dream of competing at the Olympics was torn apart — literally. While training on uneven bars, Baumann injured her elbow, tearing ligaments and muscles. The injury caused her to withdraw from Olympic Trials.

KITAKYUSHU, Japan, October 21, 2021 – Leanne Wong of Overland Park, Kan., and Kayla DiCello of Boyds, Md., finished in the second and third positions during Thursday’s women’s all-around final at the 2021 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Kitakyushu, Japan. The U.S. gymnasts were edged only by Olympic bronze medalist Angelina Melnikova of Russia who claimed the top spot.

INDIANAPOLIS, October 9, 2021 – Kayla DiCello of Boyds, Md./Hill’s Gymnastics and Leanne Wong of Overland Park, Kan./Great American Gymnastics Express – both alternates for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games – will lead a group of up-and-coming U.S. gymnasts at the 2021 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships later this month in Kitakyushu, Japan. DiCello and Wong will be joined by EMjae Frazier of Erial, N.J./Parkettes National Gymnastics Center and Konnor McClain of Cross Lanes, W.Va./WOGA Gymnastics.

INDIANAPOLIS, October 5, 2021 – The final U.S. team members for the 2021 Artistic and Rhythmic World Championships will be decided this week in Indianapolis, when six athletes train and compete for a spot on the women’s artistic team at the selection camp October 7-10. The 2021 Artistic World Championships are slated to take place October 18-24 at the Kitakyushu General Gymnasium in Japan.

After Sunisa Lee won the Tokyo Olympic All-Around gold medal, people started talking about Jess Graba, one of her two elite coaches at Midwest Gymnastics, alongside Alison Lim. As Lee transitions to NCAA gymnastics at Auburn, people are now talking about Jeff Graba, Jess’s twin brother, and the Head Coach at Auburn University.

With Tokyo 2020 games behind us, many avid gymnastic fans are finding themselves in a bout of post-Olympic depression. Fans are usually left with a void of international events immediately following an Olympic year. This year is different.

The U.S. rhythmic group, comprised of Isabelle Connor of Manhattan Beach, Calif., Camilla Feeley of Wheeling, Ill., Lili Mizuno of Northbrook, Ill., Elizaveta Pletneva of Wheeling, Ill., and Nicole Sladkov, Vernon Hills, Ill., finished 11th in the qualification round at the Tokyo Olympic Games Friday at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre. The group was just edged out of Saturday’s final as the top eight teams advanced.

TOKYO, August 6, 2021 – For the first time under the current qualification system, the U.S. was represented by two athletes in the rhythmic gymnastics individual all-around qualifications at an Olympic Games Friday at Ariake Gymnastics Centre. Evita Griskenas of Orland Park, Ill., and Laura Zeng of Libertyville, Ill., finished 12th and 13th, respectively. The pair narrowly missed Saturday’s final but were named the second and third reserves for the competition after the top ten gymnasts advanced.

TOKYO, August 3, 2021 – On the final day of the artistic gymnastics competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Simone Biles of Spring, Texas, secured the bronze medal on balance beam. Sunisa Lee of St. Paul, Minn., Brody Malone of Belfast, Tenn., and Sam Mikulak of Newport Coast, Calif., were also in action.

TOKYO, August 2, 2021 – Jade Carey of Phoenix, Ariz., took the top spot on floor exercise during Monday’s event finals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Carey, the second competitor to perform, delivered a 14.366, setting a bar that would not be eclipsed. Vanessa Ferrari of Italy claimed the silver medal with a 14.200, and Mai Murakami of Japan and Angelina Melnikova of the Russian Olympic Committee shared the bronze medal with a 14.166.

TOKYO, August 1, 2021 – MyKayla Skinner of Gilbert, Ariz., vaulted her way to the silver medal on the first night of individual event finals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, while Sunisa Lee of St. Paul, Minn., took bronze on uneven bars.