Leanne Wong shows her 2022 World Championships medal. She is one of three Gators heading to next month's World Gymnastics Championships as Skye Blakely and Kayla DiCello are also heading to Belgium.
Trio of Gators Heading to Belgium for World Gymnastics Championships
Wednesday, September 20, 2023 | Gymnastics
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, 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. 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.
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, joined Wong at the 2021 World Championships and won all-around bronze.
Blakely signed a national letter intent with Florida in November of 2022 and announced she'll defer enrollment at UF until fall 2024 to pursue a berth on the 2024 U.S. Olympic team. She joined Wong on the U.S. 2022 gold medal team at the World Championships.
2023 Women's World Selection Event Session I scores
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
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
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, 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.
Please join us in congratulating the 2023 Women's World Championships Team presented by @Xfinity!
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) September 21, 2023
⭐️ Simone Biles
⭐️ Skye Blakely
⭐️ Shilese Jones
⭐️ Joscelyn Roberson
⭐️ Leanne Wong
Traveling Replacement Athlete: Kayla DiCello pic.twitter.com/QTLWbPNuxI
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. 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.
Please join us in congratulating the 2023 Women's Pan American Games Team presented by @Xfinity!
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) September 21, 2023
⭐️ Jordan Chiles
⭐️ Kayla DiCello
⭐️ Kaliya Lincoln
⭐️ Zoe Miller
⭐️ Tiana Sumanasekera
Individual Qualifier: Katelyn Jong
Non-Traveling Alternates: Zhou, Lowe, Matthews pic.twitter.com/XBBz4rOFe8
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, joined Wong at the 2021 World Championships and won all-around bronze.
Blakely signed a national letter intent with Florida in November of 2022 and announced she'll defer enrollment at UF until fall 2024 to pursue a berth on the 2024 U.S. Olympic team. She joined Wong on the U.S. 2022 gold medal team at the World Championships.
oh, just Skye doing Skye things 🤩
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) September 20, 2023
It's a 14.500 for @skyeblakely_ at the Women's Selection Camp Competition! pic.twitter.com/RqfCSjzT5V
| 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) | |
Add a 13.600 on Uneven Bars to @kayladicello's day! 📹⤵️ https://t.co/xokZz0IInM pic.twitter.com/VW0gmhzkzM
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) September 20, 2023
| 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) | |
2️⃣ hit routines for the bday girl!
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) September 20, 2023
Bars ➡️ 13.900
Beam ➡️ 13.700@leannewong03 | @GatorsGym | @TeamUSA pic.twitter.com/fxbBvMPtby
| 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
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
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
Players Mentioned
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ GymnasticsLeanne Wong - PreWorlds_10-8-2025
Wednesday, October 08
Skye Blakely - Pre Worlds_10-8-2025
Wednesday, October 08
Owen Field - Pre Worlds 10-8-2025
Wednesday, October 08
Climb for Cancer - Gymnastics 9-21-25
Sunday, September 21
