Team USA's Leanne Wong Just Won a Silver Medal at the World Championships

On Oct. 21, Leanne Wong won all-around silver in her very first senior World Artistic Gymnastics Championships [1], and she scored just about three tenths behind winner Angelina Melnikova from the Russian Gymnastics Federation. You can find a recap of that competition here [2], but know that the 18-year-old remained in second place after the second rotation, and she came to compete with strong routines.

Of her silver-medal finish, Wong told GymCastic post-competition that she was "super excited [3]" since her goal was to win a world medal. She was an Olympic team alternate for the United States, but she was confined to a hotel room after being deemed a close contact to another US alternate who'd tested positive for COVID-19 [4]. Her time in Tokyo, she said, made her determined to qualify for Worlds. "After getting quarantined, I definitely wanted to come and compete at a World Championships because I just didn't even get to practice or do anything last time in Tokyo, so I just wanted a better experience, and it's been a really fun experience."

Ahead, check out some fun facts about Wong, and catch her in the beam and floor event finals on Sunday, Oct. 24, along with teammate — and 2021 world all-around bronze medalist — Kayla DiCello.

Leanne Wong Is a Freshman at the University of Florida

Wong will compete on the Florida Gators gymnastics team starting this 2022 season. She's majoring in Social & Behavioural Sciences, according to her athlete profile [5], and she told GymCastic that she'll be arriving on campus as soon as early November.

Leanne Wong Represented Team USA at the 2019 Pan American Games

Wong got a silver medal for her bars performance at the Pan American Games, and she also earned team gold.

Leanne Wong Is One of Three Siblings

Wong, from Overland Park, KS, has two brothers. Her mom told local station KSHB 41 News that the youngest, Brenden, has learned a lot about gymnastics [6] and even gives Wong pep talks before competitions [7].

Leanne Wong Saw Much Success on the Junior Elite Level

Wong won the all-around competition [8] at the 2017 Junior Olympic National Championships. After that, she qualified for junior elite [9], and she went on to, among other achievements, win the all-around at the 2018 GK US Classic [10] and the 2018 US Gymnastics Championships [11] (aka, Nationals).

Leanne Wong Is a Fan of Her Most Recent "Ballerina-Type" Floor Routine

"I really love the music [12] that [coach] Armine [Barutyan] has chosen, and the choreography that she put to it is really matched," Wong told International Gymnast Online in June. "I'm glad it's a very ballerina-type routine because it really fits my personality and the way I dance." The routine seen here is from the first day of competition at 2021 Nationals, where she placed third.

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