GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Before she represents the Orange & Blue again in 2023, Gator sophomore Leanne Wong competes for the Red, White & Blue.
Wong was named to the six-member U.S. roster for the World Gymnastics Championships<https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=26643>, which begins Oct. 29 at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England. The U.S. team departs for England on Sunday.
The U.S.’s World Championships roster was revealed today at the team selection camp in Katy, Texas.
Shilese Jones won Friday’s all-around competition to earn the automatic berth on the U.S. roster. On Saturday, the gymnasts could compete in up to two events and the team was revealed following that competition. The remaining five team members – Wong, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, Skye Blakely and Lisa Zeiss were determined by the Athlete Selection Committee.
NCAA Influence on U.S. Worlds Roster
Prior to the 2022 World Championships, just six competed as a collegiate and was part of the U.S. World Championships team in the same calendar year. That number now jumps to nine as Wong, Jordan Chiles (UCLA) and Jade Carey (Oregon State) all competed as freshmen in 2022 NCAA action.
Wong won all-around silver and floor exercise bronze at the 2021 World Championships in Japan. She is just one of three U.S. gymnasts ever to compete as a collegiate in between consecutive World Championships.
Name
College (years)
World Championships
Medals
Leanne Wong
Florida (2022-
2021 & 2022
2021 World Silver (all-around), floor (bronze); Four All-America honors in 2022 NCAA Championships, including 5th in all-around
Alicia Sacramone
Brown (2007)
2006 & 2007
2006 World Silver (team)
2007 World Gold (team), floor (silver), bronze (vault); competed as individual at 2007 NCAAs (9.85 FX)
Kathy Johnson Clarke
Centenary (1978-79)
1978 & 1979
1978 Worlds bronze (floor); Swept 1978 AIAW Championships event titles (small colleges division)
Of the Gators currently enrolled at UF, Wong among four to compete at a World Championships. Morgan Hurd (2017 & 2018), Riley McCusker (2018) and Kayla DiCello (2021) also represented the U.S. in World Championships action. McCusker and Hurd won team gold in 2018. Hurd won the 2017 World Championships’ all-around title and DiCello took all-around bronze in 2021.
Leanne Wong’s World Championships
Selection Camp Scores – 2022
Event
Day 1
Day 2
Vault
14.15 (4)
Bars
13.80 (3)
14.10
Beam
12.85 (6)
13.75
Floor
12.45 (8)
All-Around
53.25 (5)
About Leanne Wong:
· 2021 World Championships all-around silver medalist; floor exercise bronze
· One of four replacement gymnasts for U.S. Olympic Gymnastics team and traveled to Tokyo for Summer Games.
· 2022 OOFOS U.S. Gymnastics Championships co-uneven bars champion; tied for fifth on balance beam<https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2022/w_22champs_srevents.pdf>
· 2022 U.S. Classic all-around, vault and floor exercise champion<https://myusagym.com/meets/future/83109/results/167126/>
· Member of 2022-23, 2020-21, 2019-20 and 2018-19 U.S. Senior National teams<https://usagym.org/pages/women/history/past_nat_teams_sr.html> and 2018-19 and 2017-18 U.S. Junior National teams<https://usagym.org/pages/women/history/past_nat_teams_jr.html>
· Eight-time All-American in 2022 – four honors in NCAA Championships’ competition was high among freshmen
· 2022 Southeastern Conference balance beam champion (9.975)
· Runner-up in 2022 NCAA Auburn Regional all-around (39.875) with nation’s second highest total of 2022
· Two 10.0s in 2022 – uneven bars (vs Arkansas) and vault (NCAA Auburn Regional final). Owns collegiate best of 9.975 for beam and floor exercise
World Championships’ schedule
Oct. 29-30 Women’s Team Qualifications. U.S. competes Oct. 29 – 3 p.m.
Nov. 1 Women’s Team Final – 1:15 p.m. ET
Nov. 3 Women’s All-Around Final – 1:30 p.m. ET
Nov. 5 Women’s Vault & Uneven Bars Final – 8:15 a.m. ET
Nov. 6 Women’s Balance Beam & Floor Exercise Final – 8:15 a.m. ET
World Gymnastics Championships competition schedule<https://www.2022worldgymnastics.com/tickets/>
