GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A trio of Gator gymnasts represent the U.S. in international competition next month.
The most important gymnastics competition of 2023 includes all three Gators. Skye Blakely and Leanne Wong were named to the five-member U.S. roster for the World Gymnastics Championships<https://x.com/USAGym/status/1704664339838292018?s=20>, which begins Oct. 1 at the Antwerp Sportpaleis in Antwerp, Belgium. Gator Kayla DiCello is the replacement athlete and also travels to Belgium. The U.S. team departs for Antwerp on Friday.
The U.S.’s World Championships and Pan American Games rosters were revealed today at the team selection camp in Katy, Texas. DiCello also will be adding another stamp to her passport, as she was named to the U.S. roster for the Pan American Games, which begins Oct. 22 in Santiago, Chile.
Simone Biles won Tuesday’s all-around competition to earn the automatic berth on the U.S. World Championships roster.<https://usagym.org/biles-wins-all-around-at-u-s-womens-worlds-selection-camp-makes-sixth-world-championships-team/> On Wednesday, the gymnasts could compete in up to two events and the team was revealed following that competition. The remaining four World Championships team members – Blakely, Wong, Shilese Jones and Joscelyn Roberson were determined by the Athlete Selection Committee.
Joining DiCello at the Pan Am are Jordan Chiles, Kaliya Lincoln, Zoe Miller and Tiana Sumanasekera.
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 grew to nine as Wong, Jordan Chiles (UCLA) and Jade Carey (Oregon State) all competed as freshmen in 2022 NCAA action and were part of the U.S.’s 2022 World Championships’ gold medal team. DiCello is the 10th to complete the NCAA / World Championship calendar year combo as she competed as a freshman for the Gators in 2023.
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 & 2023
2022 World Gold (team)
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 is among three to compete at a World Championships. Morgan Hurd (2017 & 2018) and Riley McCusker (2018) 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. DiCello, who announced following her 2023 freshman season that she would take a gap year to pursue a spot on the 2024 Olympic team<https://floridagators.com/news/2023/4/27/gymnastics-gators-freshman-dicello-announces-plan-to-train-for-us-olympic-team-042723.aspx>, joined Wong at the 2021 World Championships and won all-around bronze.
Blakely signed a national letter intent with Florida in November of 2022<https://x.com/skyeblakely_/status/1590477293239283713?s=20> and announced she’ll defer enrollment at UF until fall 2024 to pursue a berth on the 2024 U.S. Olympic team<https://www.instagram.com/p/CvQriUJJ3dl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==>. She joined Wong on the U.S. 2022 gold medal team at the World Championships.
Skye Blakely’s World Championships
Selection Camp Scores – 2023
Event
Day 1
Day 2
Vault
14.00
Bars
14.20
13.00
Beam
14.35
14.50
Floor
12.45
All-Around
55.00 (3)
Kayla DiCello’s World Championships
Selection Camp Scores – 2023
Event
Day 1
Day 2
Vault
14.20
Bars
12.70
13.60
Beam
13.80
13.95
Floor
13.55
All-Around
54.25 (7)
Leanne Wong’s World Championships
Selection Camp Scores – 2023
Event
Day 1
Day 2
Vault
14.45
Bars
13.85
13.80
Beam
13.35
13.70
Floor
13.20
All-Around
54.85 (5)
2023 Women’s World Selection Event Session I scores<https://myusagym.com/meets/live/88258/results/210979/>
World Championships’ schedule
Oct. 1-2 Women’s Team Qualifications. U.S. competes Oct. 1 – 11:45 a.m. ET in Subdivision 2
Oct. 4 Women’s Team Final – 1:30 p.m. ET
Oct. 6 Women’s All-Around Final – 1:30 p.m. ET
Oct. 7 Women’s Vault & Uneven Bars Final – 8 a.m. ET
Oct. 8 Women’s Balance Beam & Floor Exercise Final – 8 a.m. ET
World Gymnastics Championships competition schedule<https://antwerpgymnastics2023.com/en/event/competition-schedule>
Pan American Games’ schedule
Oct. 22 Women’s Team Qualification & Team Finals – 11:30 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.
Oct. 23 Women’s All-Around Final – 5 p.m.
Oct. 24 Women’s Vault & Uneven Bars Final – 4 p.m. ET
Oct. 25 Women’s Balance Beam & Floor Exercise Final – 4 p.m. ET
2023 Pan Am Games schedule<https://www.santiago2023.org/descargas/es/Guia-de-entradas.pdf>
