GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Three Gators – Skye Blakely, Kayla DiCello and Leanne Wong – compete this weekend in the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships at the SAP Center<https://www.sapcenter.com/> in San Jose, Calif.
All compete in the senior division on Friday and Sunday:
* Friday, August 25: 8 p.m. ET
* Sunday, August 27: 6:30 p.m. ET
Wong is the U.S. Gymnastics defending co-uneven bars champion. All champions based on a combined two-day total. The U.S. Gymnastics women’s national team will be announced following Sunday’s competition. The women’s competition helps determine invitees to September’s Pan American Games/World Championships selection camp.
Rare Single Season Double: NCAA – U.S. Championships
Of the 259 different gymnasts to compete at a U.S. Championships since 2000, Wong and DiCello are among 10 to appear after competing earlier that year at the NCAA Championships.
There are four competing the NCAA-U.S. Championships single season combo in 2023 – Wong, DiCello, Jordan Chiles (UCLA) and Jade Carey (Oregon State). Sunisa Lee is also among the U.S. Championships start list after competing at Auburn in 2023.
Competed in NCAA Championships and U.S. Championships in Same Year (Since 2000)
2007
Alicia Sacramone
Brown
2010
Vanessa Zamarripa
UCLA
2011
Mackenzie Caquatto
Florida
2015
Brenna Dowell
Oklahoma*
2019
Trinity Thomas
Florida
2019
MyKayla Skinner
Utah
2022
Leanne Wong
Florida
2022
Jordan Chiles
UCLA
2022
Jade Carey
Oregon State
2023
Kayla DiCello*
Florida
2023
Leanne Wong
Florida
2023
Jordan Chiles
UCLA
2023
Jade Carey
Oregon State
*sat out 2016 NCAA competition to pursue Olympic berth
This is Wong’s second elite competition since winning 2022 World Championships gold with Team USA on Nov. 1, 2022. Earlier this month, Wong was the U.S. Classic all-around runner-up<https://floridagators.com/news/2023/8/5/gymnastics-gator-leanne-wong-second-in-us-classic-all-around.aspx>. Wong is the defending U.S. Championships co-uneven bars champion<https://floridagators.com/news/2022/8/21/gators-medal-in-2022-oofos-us-gymnastics-championships.aspx>.
DiCello, who announced at the conclusion of the 2023 collegiate season she would take a gap year to pursue a spot on the 2024 U.S. Olympic team<https://floridagators.com/news/2023/4/27/gymnastics-gators-freshman-dicello-announces-plan-to-train-for-us-olympic-team-042723.aspx>, made her return to elite competition earlier this summer at the American Classic<https://static.usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2023/w_23americanclassic_sen.pdf>. The U.S. Championships is her second elite meet of the month, as she also competed at the U.S. Classic<https://floridagators.com/news/2023/8/5/gymnastics-gator-leanne-wong-second-in-us-classic-all-around.aspx>. DiCello was fourth in the 2022 U.S. Championships all-around to earn a place on her third consecutive senior national team<https://floridagators.com/news/2022/8/21/gators-medal-in-2022-oofos-us-gymnastics-championships.aspx>.
Eight days after winning gold with Team USA at the 2022 World Championships, Blakely signed a national letter of intent in November of 2022. She will defer enrollment at UF until fall of 2024 as she seeks a spot on U.S. roster for Paris Olympics.<https://www.instagram.com/p/CvQriUJJ3dl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==> At the 2023 U.S. Classic, Blakely was uneven bars runner-up and shared third on balance beam<https://floridagators.com/news/2023/8/5/gymnastics-gator-leanne-wong-second-in-us-classic-all-around.aspx>.
How to Watch:
2023 U.S. Gymnastics Championships airs live:
* Aug. 25, 8-10 p.m. ET – Women – Peacock<https://www.peacocktv.com/sports>
* Aug. 27, 7-9 p.m. ET – Women – NBC (Gainesville/Ocala Cox Cable 9)
