Tag: Leanne Wong

Florida Gators take home 11 medals at Paris Olympics

The Olympics have come to a close after 16 days of world class competition. Here’s how every Florida Gator performed at the 2024 Paris Games.

The University of Florida sent more than 40 current and former Gators to the Paris Olympics this summer, and the Orange and Blue claimed 11 medals in total — four gold, four silver and three bronze.

American swimming legend [autotag]Caeleb Dressel[/autotag] took home gold in two team events, the 4×100 free relay and 4×100 mixed medley relay. Dressel also claimed silver in the 4×100 medley relay; although, the Americans were favorites to take gold in the event.

Florida’s two other golds came from swimmer [autotag]Bobby Finke[/autotag] in the 1,500-meter freestyle and track star [autotag]Grant Holloway[/autotag] in the 110-meter hurdles. Finke set a world record with a time 14:30.67 while defending his 2020 gold from Tokyo and added a silver in the 800-meter free.

The other silver medals come from the pool as well. [autotag]Josh Liendo[/autotag] finished second in the 100-meter butterfly, swimming for Team Canada, and [autotag]Kieran Smith[/autotag] was a member of the 4×200 relay team that placed second.

[autotag]Emma Weyant[/autotag] earned bronze in the 400-meter individual medley, and [autotag]Jasmine Moore[/autotag] placed third in both the long jump and triple jump.

If the University of Florida were its own country, the Gators would have finished tied for 16th with Sweden, which also ended the Games with four gold, four silver and three bronze medals.

Other Gators Results at the Olympics

Swimming and Diving

  • Caeleb Dressel (USA) — 6th in 50-meter freestyle, 13th in 100-meter butterfly
  • [autotag]Luke Whitlock[/autotag] (USA) — 15th in 900-meter freestyle
  • Julie Brousseau (Canada) — 4th in 4×200-meter freestyle relay
  • Josh Liendo (Canada) — 4th in 50-meter freestyle, 6th in 4×100-meter freestyle relay, 11th in 100-meter freestyle
  • Maha Amer (Egypt) — 24th in women’s 3-meter springboard prelimnaries
  • Nicole Maier (Germany) — 5th in 4×200-meter freestyle relay
  • Amro Al-Wir (Jordan) — 23rd in 200-meter breaststroke
  • Aleksas Savickas (Lithuania) — 19th in 200-meter breaststroke
  • Jonny Marshall (UK) — 14th in 100-meter backstroke
  • Alberto Mestre(Venezuela) — 21st in 50-meter freestyle, 37th in 100-meter freestyle
  • Alfonso Mestre (Venezuela) — 19th in 400-meter freestyle, 29th in 800-meter freestyle

Track and Field

  • [autotag]Anna Hall[/autotag] (USA) — 5th in women’s heptathlon
  • [autotag]Grace Stark[/autotag] (USA) — 5th in women’s 100-meter hurdles
  • [autotag]Parker Valby[/autotag] — 5th in women’s 10,000 meters
  • Genevieve Gregson (Australia) — 24th in women’s marathon
  • Wanya McCoy (Bahamas) — 18th in 200-meter semifinals, 41st in 100-meter heats
  • Lloydricia Cameron (Jamaica) — 8th in Group A in women’s shot put
  • Reheem Hayles (Jamaica) — fifth in men’s 4×400-meter relay
  • Jevaughn Powell (Jamaica) — 13th in men’s 400-meter semifinals
  • Hakim Sani Brown (Japan) — 5th in men’s 4×100-meter relay, 10th in men’s 100 meter
  • [autotag]Joseph Fahbulleh[/autotag](Liberia) — 7th in men’s 200-meter, 7th in men’s 4×100-meter relay
  • Alida van Daalen (Netherlands) — 13th in Group B in women’s shot put
  • Thomas Mardal (Norway) — 11th in men’s hammer throw
  • Eddie Garcia (Virgin Islands) — did not finish marathon

Basketball

  • Canyon Barry (USA) — 7th in men’s 3v3
  • Andrew Nembhard (Canada) — lost in quarterfinals; top 8
  • Nick Calathes (Greece) — lost in quarterfinals; top 8
  • Andrea Vilano (Spain) — lost in quarterfinals; top 8

Golf

  • Alejandro Tosti (Argentina) — tied for 18th in men’s tournament
  • Camilo Villegas (Venezuela) — 57th in men’s tournament
  • Sarah Schober (Austria) — tied for 47th in women’s tournament

Gymnastics

  • [autotag]Leanne Wong[/autotag] (USA) — traveled as a reserve

Soccer

  • Adriana Leon (Canada) — lost in quarterfinals; top 8 in women’s bracket
  • DeAnne Rose (Canada) — lost in quarterfinals; top 8 in women’s bracket

Tennis

  • Danielle Collins (USA) — lost in quarterfinals; top 8 in women’s bracket

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LOOK: Gators gymnast Leanne Wong arrives at Paris Olympics, meets Snoop Dogg

The life of an Olympic alternate can be a bit chaotic. One second you’re meeting Snoop Dogg, the next you could be replacing an injured teammate.

More than 40 current and former Florida Gators have arrived in Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games, including UF gymnast [autotag]Leanne Wong[/autotag], who is an alternate for Team USA.

She spent Thursday doing media, visiting the Eiffel Tower and meeting America’s favorite rapper Snoop Dogg. Over recent years, The D-O-Double-G has woven himself into the fabric of Americana, so of course he’s in Paris for the Summer Games.

It’s not all fun and photo ops for Wong, though. Alternates are used somewhat regularly, typically after a member of the top five goes down with an injury. Of course, Simone Biles pulled out of several events in the 2020 Tokyo Games while dealing with “the twisties,” a mental block that plagues some gymnasts prohibiting typical aerial movement.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C921Tz6JE8Q/?hl=en

Biles has been elite since returning, so there’s not much concern that a repeat will occur. Still, if Biles going down last year reminds everyone that each day of competition is a privilege, not a guarantee. That’s why Wong must be ready for when her name gets called.

“My training is the same as if I was going to compete,” Wong said to NBC. “Because in this sport, like we saw at trials, anything could happen.”

Wong and fellow alternate Joscelyn Roberson won’t be in the Olympic Village with the rest of the team. Despite being considered Olympians by the U.S. Olympic Committer, the international committee does not recognize alternates. They’ll be staying in a nearby hotel.

The Florida superstar has done this before — she was an alternate on the 2020 team and came in to vault for Roberson — but every Olympics tends to have a different feel.

“I guess it can be kind of weird to be in the stands and not on the floor competing, but that’s my position, if I’m not needed,” Wong said. “I think it’s just cool to be there, to get to learn and just explore outside of the arena and outside of practice, too.”

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Gators sending all-time high 40 Florida athletes to Paris Olympics

There will be a whole gaggle of Gators competing in Paris these next few weeks.

The University of Florida will have a school-best 40 current Gators and alumni at the 2024 Paris Olympics, which kicks off this week in the City of Lights. The Orange and Blue have the fourth-best showing among college institutions.

Compare the 2024 numbers with the 39 UF representatives at the 2008 Beijing Games and 35 at the Tokyo Games in 2020.

In addition to those 40 competitors, Florida has five coaches also in Paris for the games — one of whom will also be competing. [autotag]Anthony Nesty[/autotag] is the head coach for the US men’s swimming team while Whitney Hite is also on the Team USA swimming staff as an assistant and personal coach.

Nic Petersen is Team USA’s jumps/multis coach for men’s track and field while [autotag]Leanne Wong[/autotag]’s coach Owen Field will assist the USA Gymnastics squad. Rhyne Howard will play for USA Basketball in the 3×3 event.

17 Gators are repeat Olympians

Amro Al-Wir (Jordan 2x), Maha Amer (Egypt 2x), Lloydricia Cameron (Jamaica 2x), [autotag]Caeleb Dressel[/autotag] (U.S. 3x), Joseph Fahnbulleh (Liberia 2x), [autotag]Bobby Finke[/autotag] (U.S. 2x), [autotag]Grant Holloway[/autotag] (U.S. 2x), Genevieve LaCaze Gregson (AUS 4x), Adriana Leon (Canada 2x), Josh Liendo (Canada 2x), Alberto Mestre (Venezuela 2x), Alfonso Mestre (Venezuela 2x), Jasmine Moore (U.S. 2x), Deanne Rose (CAN 3x), Hakim Sani Brown (JAPAN 2x), [autotag]Kieran Smith[/autotag] (U.S. 2x) and Emma Weyant (U.S. 2x).

Gators are representing 21 different countries in Paris

Argentina (1), Austria (1), Australia (1), Bahamas (1), Canada (5), Colombia (1), Egypt (1), Germany (1), Great Britain (1), Greece (1), Jamaica (3), Japan (1), Jordan (1), Liberia (1), Lithuania (1), Netherlands (1), Nigeria (1), Norway (1), United States (14), U.S. Virgin Islands (1) and Venezuela (2).

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Florida gymnastics star Leanne Wong a CSS Academic All-American

Florida’s Leanne Wong has been spectacular both on the pads as well as in the classroom.

Florida Gators standout gymnast [autotag]Leanne Wong[/autotag] was selected as a first-team 2023-24 College Sports Communicators Academic All-American At-Large on Tuesday.

The announcement brings Florida’s 2023-24 total CSC Academic All-Americans to five. Wong is one of four among the CSC Academic All-America At-Large team heading to Paris for the 2024 Olympics.

Since 1984, 10 Gator gymnasts have earned 15 CSC Academic All-America honors. Wong has made the SEC Academic Honor Roll in every year of her collegiate career.

Wong is the only member of the 2023 U.S. FIG World Championships gold medal team to compete in 2024 NCAA action and medaled at each of the last three World Championships while also enrolled at Florida. She also has Four All-America honors in NCAA Championships competition – all-around, vault, bars – first team and floor exercise.

She led the Orange and Blue with 24 event wins: eight on the bars; five all-around, floor: four on the beam; two on the vault, making Wong tenth in UF history all time with 61 event titles.

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Gators gymnastics standout named to U.S. Olympic Team as replacement

Leanne Wong is heading to her second Olympics on behalf of the Orange and Blue.

Florida gymnastics rising senior [autotag]Leann Wong[/autotag] will travel to Paris this summer as a member of the U.S. Olympic team for the second time in her young career.

The team was announced following Sunday’s final day of the 2024 Olympic Trials at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with Wong getting the call as a replacement athlete. While competitors like the Olympic Trials all-around champion Simone Biles earned an automatic berth, the Gators standout was selected by a committee.

Since 1980, 77 different gymnasts have represented the United States at the Olympics. Wong is among 10 to have earned Olympic berths after completing a collegiate season.

Florida’s star gymnast finished her junior season by claiming the 2024 NCAA uneven bars title while also second in the all-around and vault, making her the only gymnast with three top-2 individual finishes in 2024 NCAA competition.

Wong’s past world performances

A member of the U.S.’s gold medal team at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, Wong took all-around silver at the 2021 World Championships. She was in Tokyo as a 2020 U.S. Olympic replacement athlete and again is on Team USA in 2024 as a replacement athlete.

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Gators gymnastics catches injury bug at Olympic Trials

A pair of Florida gymnasts have made early exits at the US Olympic Trials following injury.

Three Florida Gators made it to the US Olympic Trials in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but [autotag]Leanne Wong[/autotag] is the only one still standing (literally) after one day of competition.

Incoming freshmen [autotag]Skye Blakely[/autotag] and [autotag]Kayla DiCello[/autotag] are done due to Achilles injuries. Blakely went down during floor exercises on Wednesday and DiCello was helped off the floor shortly during the opening event.

“Thank you so much for all your love and support,” DiCello wrote in a letter on social media Saturday. Unfortunately, I ruptured my Achilles on the opening event at Olympic Trials. While this is not the result I envisioned, there’s so much to be proud of.

“… As I begin my healing journey, I’m thankful for your prayers and good wishes. This is not the end of my story.”

DiCello was a reserve for the Tokyo Olympic Games. She has since been a “stalwart of the U.S. squad,” medaling at the 2021 World Championships and winning the 2023 U.S. World Championships as an alternate.

Last season, she earned All-American second-team honors and was named the 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year at Florida.

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Pair of Gators gymnasts competing at U.S. Gymnastics Olympic Trials

Kayla DiCello and Leanne Wong will be fighting on behalf of the Florida Gators this weekend at the U.S. Gymnastics Olympic Trials.

Florida gymnastics standouts [autotag]Kayla DiCello[/autotag] and [autotag]Leanne Wong[/autotag] are slated to compete this weekend in the U.S. Gymnastics Olympic Team Trials at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Unfortunately, Florida freshman [autotag]Skye Blakely[/autotag] will not be able to partake in the events after suffering a right Achilles tendon injury during a training session on Wednesday.

The 2024 Trials features 16 women competing to be among the five-member team for the U.S. Olympic Team. Both DiCello and Wong were replacement athletes for the 2020 Olympics. The U.S.’s gold-medal 2023 World Championships team included the Gators trio (DiCello – replacement athlete) while Blakely and Wong won gold with Team USA at the 2022 Worlds.

Wong and Oregon State’s Jade Carey competed each of the last three seasons with their respective universities. DiCello was the 2023 Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year with Florida and then took a gap year in 2024 to train for the Olympics.

Since 1980, 75 different gymnasts have represented the United States at the Olympics, with six earning berths after competing in a collegiate season.

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Florida gymnastics’ Leanne Wong earns 2024 Honda Award nomination

It should come as no surprise that this Florida standout is among the best in the nation.

The Florida gymnastics program got some great news on Tuesday when it was announced that [autotag]Leanne Wong[/autotag] is among the final four candidates for the Honda Award in her sport. The Honda Award goes to the top collegiate female athlete in 12 different sports each season.

The news comes short after the Gators finished fourth in the 2024 NCAA Championship Finals — a feat that would not have been accomplished if not for Wong’s contributions this season.

The junior from Overland Park, Kansas, won the NCAA uneven bars title last Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas. She was the only gymnast with three 2024 top-2 individual finishes in NCAA competition; the now 22-time All-American also took second in the all-around and vault.

The five-time U.S. Senior National team member will now train in Gainesville as she prepares to compete in the Core Hydration Classic, followed by the Xfinity U.S. Championships and then U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

Florida leads all programs so far in 2023-24 with three Honda Award nominees. In addition to Leanne Wong, freshman Bella Sims is a candidate for the swimming & diving award. Junior Parker Valby became Florida’s first Honda Award recipient for cross country in December.

A Gator has won the Honda Award in nine different sports in the award’s 48-year history, leading the nation’s programs.

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PHOTOS: Florida gymnastics’ Gainesville Regional Semifinals victory

Take a look at highlights from Florida’s big win in Gainesville on Friday night in the O’Dome. 

The Florida gymnastics team advanced to the 2024 Gainesville Regional Finals inside the O’Connell Center on Friday thanks to winning Session II with a team score of 197.925.

The Missouri Tigers were the runner-up after the Gators, which earned the two schools a shot at the regional title on Sunday. Both join the Utah Utes and Michigan State Spartans in Sunday’s regional championship.

A season-high five members of the Orange and Blue competed as all-arounders Friday. [autotag]Leanne Wong[/autotag] was third overall at 39.65 and [autotag]Victoria Nguyen[/autotag] was fourth (39.55), while Skylar Draser was sixth with a collegiate-best 39.50.

Four marks of 9.9 or better helped Florida amass the top total on the floor (49.475). Nguyen and Wong led the team with 9.925 with [autotag]Sloane Blakely[/autotag] and [autotag]Ellie Lazzari[/autotag] each earning 9.9s.

Take a look below at highlights from Florida’s big win in Gainesville on Friday.

Pair of Gators gymnasts earn WCGA Regular-Season All-America honors

These two Gators are keeping up the proud tradition of excellence for Florida’s gymnastics program.

The Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association announced its regular-season All-America honors for the 2024 season, which included five total selections for the Florida gymnastics program split between a pair of student-athletes.

Florida freshman [autotag]Anya Pilgrim[/autotag] and junior [autotag]Leanne Wong[/autotag] were the two who earned the accolades. The former earned multiple All-American honors, landing on the second team in all-around and vault as one of just five freshmen among the selections.

The latter earned her first-team placement in the uneven bars event for the third consecutive season while claiming second-team honors for balance beam and all-around — making Wong an 18-time All-American with eight coming from the NCAA and 10 from the WCGA regular season.

Final national qualifying scores in the Road to Nationals rankings determine the WCGA All-Americans. The top eight gymnasts in each event and the all-around receive first-team honors and gymnasts Nos. 9-16 receive second-team honors with all ties included.

This is the 12th year the WCGA has recognized regular-season All-Americans.

Both Pilgrim (Barbados) and Wong (U.S.) competed in the 2023 FIG World Championships in Belgium last October, with Wong winning gold with Team USA.

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