Leanne Wong and Kayla DiCello each took home all-around medals in the World Gymnastics Championship in Kitakyushu, Japan, reports Flo Gymnastics.
Wong took silver and DiCello won bronze, bested only by first-place finisher and bronze Olympic medalist Angelina Melnikova of Russia.
Both Wong and DiCello were alternates at the Olympics in Tokyo for Team USA. Wong is from Overland Park, KS and DiCello hails from Boyds, Md. She is of mixed heritage, but has not revealed anything about her parents.
It was the first senior world championship for both.
Leanne Wong delivered a 56.340 en route to the silver medal, while Kayla DiCello’s 54.566 secured her the bronze at the 2021 World Championships.https://t.co/3wg2iHmL5q
— FloGymnastics (@FloGymnastics) October 22, 2021
Wong also took a bronze medal on the floor exercise.
“I just tried to stay with what I was doing for each event,” DiCello said, according to the Washington Post. “I knew that if I could focus on each event and get the best score I could, then I could have a chance.”
“I think we did a really good job for the next generation, and we’re just setting the stage,” said Wong, who will begin her college gymnastics career at the University of Florida next month.
All-around Olympic Gold medalist Sunisa Lee did not compete at the world championships. She is enrolled at Auburn University as a first-year student and plans to compete collegiately as well.
Korean American Yol Mauldauer placed fourth in the all-around in the men’s division.
