As quickly as USA Gymnastics introduced its group lineup for the 2023 World Championships, one of many first issues gymnastics followers observed was that Leanne Wong had been named to the American beginning lineup for the third consecutive time. I used to be requested the next query by a Twitter person:
Who else has made all three World Championships groups for the US in a single Olympic quad and are there any ‘bonus’ examples if mentioned gymnast made the Olympics as properly within the fourth yr?
What makes this query so attention-grabbing is that it’s a double redundant query. The primary motive it’s redundant is that there isn’t any must separate American Olympians who’ve made three consecutive World Championship groups and non-Olympians who’ve accomplished the identical. Each single American gymnast who has ever reached this milestone on the World Championships degree can also be an Olympian.
The second redundant side of this query is that it doesn’t matter if the gymnast went to 3 World Championships in the identical Olympic cycle. It doesn’t matter if mentioned gymnast did it in three consecutive World Championships, however not in the identical Olympic cycle. It doesn’t even need to occur in consecutive World Championships in any respect. Each American who has ever competed in three World Championships is an Olympian.
It doesn’t matter if these three World Championships occurred over the course of a whole decade, three appearances on the World Championships no matter circumstance correlates to being an Olympian within the American girls’s gymnastics program. This famously occurred with Jade Carey who turned senior in 2016, made the World Championships thrice in 2017, 2019, and 2022. However gained’t be eligible to return to the World Championships till 2025 on the earliest.
However Jade Carey is an Olympian and accomplished the prophecy that the one American gymnasts to have ever competed in three World Championships are both a previous Olympian or will change into an Olympian the very subsequent time they’re held. As Jade Carey demonstrated, this pattern is so tough to perform that the one Individuals to have accomplished it are gymnasts who’ve gone on to change into Olympians, or returning Olympians who’ve accomplished it for the primary time.
It is so simple as acquire three appearances of any variety on the World Championships and mentioned gymnast at all times finally ends up being an Olympian. The earlier 12 gymnasts who’ve accomplished this are as follows
Alicia Sacramone
Aly Raisman
Chellsie Memmel
Dominique Dawes*
Jade Carey
Jaycie Phelps
Kathy Johnson
Kelly Garrison
Kerri Strug
Nastia Liukin
Shannon Miller
Simone Biles
It ought to be famous that Dominique Dawes has competed in 5 totally different World Championships, however solely has two appearances within the context of World Championships that observe a standard schedule. Her three additional appearances stem from the “cut up” World Championships in 1994 and FIG’s transient try at internet hosting an additional World Championships within the 1992 and 1996 Olympic years.
Whereas gymnastics followers have come to embrace the idea of a gymnast competing in three World Championships in a single Olympic cycle, such an achievement was not possible for gymnasts of earlier eras, together with gymnasts who competed as just lately because the 1997-2000 Olympic cycle. FIG had just one World Championships per Olympic cycle previous to 1976, solely two per Olympic cycle previous to 1992, whereas the 1997-2000 Olympic cycle additionally featured solely two World Championships.
The unique premise of the query on Twitter was with regard to gymnasts who competed in three consecutive World Championships that each one occurred in the identical Olympic quad and thus needed to keep consistency in three consecutive years. Nonetheless, within the 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1998 Olympic cycles there have been solely two World Championships, however the competitions had been positioned in Yr #1 and Yr #3 of the Olympic quad. So regardless that there have been solely two World Championships in these time durations, for the gymnasts competing they successfully needed to keep prime kind in three consecutive years simply to make two totally different World Championship lineups.
In the event you open up the eligibility of this statistic to incorporate gymnasts who competed within the two non-consecutive World Championships of those 4 Olympic cycles, that may make Julianne McNamara and Kristin Maloney because the thirteenth and 14th gymnasts to perform this milestone whereas Leanne Wong would change into the fifteenth gymnast to take action. As soon as once more, all however Leanne Wong are Olympians.
To incorporate the Olympic cycles of 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1998 is so simple as altering the wording to say “gymnasts who’ve gone three years with out lacking a World Championships” versus saying “gymnasts who’ve competed in three consecutive World Championships.”
The next gymnasts qualify for this statistic by having “three of any.” Gymnasts who reached this milestone by competing in any three World Championships no matter when these World Championships occurred.
Aly Raisman
Chellsie Memmel
Dominique Dawes
Jade Carey
Jaycie Phelps
The next gymnasts qualify for this statistic by having two non-consecutive appearances in an Olympic cycle the place the World Championships had been held twice in non-consecutive years throughout an Olympic cycle and a gymnast appeared in each.
Julianne McNamara
Kristin Maloney
The next gymnasts qualify for this statistic by having “three consecutive” appearances on the World Championships. Gymnasts who reached this milestone made the lineup for 3 World Championships in a row no matter what Olympic quad these World Championships occurred. For instance, making a World Championships lineup in 2003, 2005 and 2006 with 2004 being and Olympic yr as a substitute.
Alicia Sacramone
Kathy Johnson
Kelly Garrison
Kerri Strug
Nastia Liukin
Shannon Miller
Simone Biles
Leanne Wong
However to amend the final record, solely the next have accomplished three World Championships appearances in a single Olympic cycle.
Kerri Strug
Shannon Miller
Alicia Sacramone
Nastia Liukin
Simone Biles
Leanne Wong
It ought to be famous that of the 5 gymnasts who’ve beforehand accomplished it, three of them have medals within the Olympic All-Round. That’s how excessive of a correlation there’s between this statistic and anticipated Olympic success.
So the query is why? Why does a seemingly trivial statistic maintain a lot sway in predicting Olympic lineups?
For starters, it’s an early indicator of expertise and this pattern highlights those that are amongst essentially the most proficient gymnasts USA Gymnastics has in any given decade. Solely gymnasts of essentially the most famend skillset might be this profitable for such a longstanding period of time.
Nevertheless it largely stems from pacing, damage and consistency. Gymnasts who’ve reached this milestone are capable of show that they will constantly carry out properly underneath stress in home competitors to the purpose the place they will win the grueling group choice course of three totally different occasions. Making any future Olympic choice course of considerably much less formidable for them.
It additionally highlights their sturdiness that these gymnasts can already seem in two totally different World Championships and are available again for a 3rd World Championships with out being sidelined by lingering accidents stemming from their two earlier appearances. It additionally proves they’ve competent teaching within the type of “pacing” the place they’re dedicated to a coaching schedule that isn’t overloading them or resulting in untimely burnout.
One other issue to contemplate can also be age. For a gymnast to compete in three World Championships or two World Championships throughout three years, which means she is at the very least three years older than from the place she first began out. For the demographics of a sport the place the beginning age for entry into senior degree competitors is round 16 years outdated, which means that gymnasts can be round 19 years of age at minimal after they attain this milestone.
Having a 3 yr age distinction for a demographic involving highschool aged gymnasts is completely large as a result of it’s throughout these three years the place gymnasts typically have to beat main physique adjustments. Gaining weight and present process a progress spurt is quite common throughout these years and that’s typically a serious issue for gymnasts who need to compete throughout this timeline of their lives. In gymnastics, it isn’t the kind of physique you may have that places one at an obstacle in these years, however how rapidly your physique is altering and the way simply you’ll be able to adapt to mentioned adjustments.
For gymnasts who’ve reached their third World Championships, they’re both sufficiently old the place they’re previous the purpose of their lives the place essentially the most vital physique adjustments happen, or the physique adjustments are at the moment taking place however are taking place in a approach the place it’s simply manageable. By the point a gymnast has competed in her third World Championships she now not has to fret about bodily progress related to reaching maturity.
This pattern highlights the monumental distinction between being a 2x participant on the World Championships versus being a 3x participant. The careers of Rebecca Bross and Morgan Hurd are an unlucky reminder of this pattern. Bross and Hurd have two issues in widespread. The very first thing they share in widespread is they’re aspect by aspect on the record of essentially the most profitable gymnasts within the historical past of the World Championships who by no means went to the Olympics. Morgan Hurd ranks because the #2 most achieved non-Olympian on the World Championships degree whereas Rebecca Bross ranks #3.
The opposite unlucky side Bross and Hurd share in widespread, they each appeared in two consecutive World Championships, solely to overlook out on their third try at making the World Championships. And beginning in yr #3, that’s exactly when their careers started to say no and would sadly be highlighted by a high-profile damage monitor document of their closing years on the elite degree.
Sadly, there’s one awkward side of this story that must be addressed. What makes this statistic essentially essential, is it represents American gymnasts who on three totally different events competed in opposition to the “A-Staff” and on all three events they scored throughout the similar vary as their fellow A-Staff members. This clearly occurred with Leanne Wong in 2022 and 2023, however for 2021 issues had been totally different.
Due to Covid-19 impacting the competitors schedule, the 2021 World Championships was held instantly following the 2021 Olympics. This was not solely an excessive rarity by having each the World Championships and Olympics contested in the identical yr, however by having the World Championships contested after the conclusion of the Olympics was absurd. Below regular circumstances FIG had actively averted such a schedule as a result of earlier competitions, particularly the 1980 World Cup in creative gymnastics and the 1992 World Championships in rhythmic gymnastics had demonstrated such competitions had disastrous participation charges when held instantly after the Olympics.
For all of the rhetoric that possibly the 2021 World Championships nonetheless retained a powerful worldwide area and that many 2021 World Championships veterans have gained medals elsewhere, none of that issues regarding the premise of this historic pattern. What issues is whether or not the American program had excessive participation charges and the 2021 World Championships lineup didn’t retain any of its 2021 Olympians. In truth, it was the primary American lineup to return none of its earlier veterans from any prior Olympics and/or World Championships degree competitors in 30 years.
For as awkward as this can be to level out, it is very important spotlight as a result of this milestone has a 100% success price in making a future Olympic group, however what makes this milestone a milestone is being included within the lineup of three totally different A-Groups. Leanne Wong has unquestionably reached this milestone, however she is the primary to take action the place the circumstances of it are usually not as clear reduce.
However it could actually simply as simply be mentioned “who cares?” Leanne Wong doesn’t want issues to be as reduce and dry with regard to this statistic, she has already confirmed that 2024 can be an excellent yr for her. Leanne Wong was an Olympic alternate in 2021 and was essentially the most broadly repeated identify amongst gymnastics followers and media over which alternate got here the closest to creating the Tokyo Olympic group. Wong then adopted that success up with three consecutive appearances on the World Championships.
Leanne Wong gained a gold medal on the 2019 American cup regardless of being a primary yr senior. She then proceeded to get by the Covid 2020 sports activities shutdown with out dropping any of her momentum and carrying all of it into 2021. She was the #1 ranked NCAA prospect amongst her class on Faculty Gymnasium Information. She competed elite, competed NCAA, after which returned again to competing elite with out dropping any momentum. It was one other astounding milestone as so many gymnasts have been unable to pivot between these two ranges, let alongside produce more and more higher outcomes whereas doing it.
Then to prime it off, Leanne Wong has not solely confirmed she will compete each NCAA and elite whereas additionally competing by the Covid-19 sports activities shut down, she has one final trick in her bag of bowties. Leanne Wong is so adaptive to a variety of circumstances she is doing this whereas having totally different coaches on the World Championships between her membership (GAGE) and school (Florida Gators) coaches.
That’s simply what Leanne Wong has achieved as a senior. Way back to 2018 when Leanne was nonetheless a junior she was demonstrating outstanding expertise even again then. Most notably, in 2018 she gained back-to-back All-Round gold medals on the Junior U.S. Classics and Junior Nationwide Championships. In each circumstances she adopted that success up with medals on 3 of 4 occasions throughout Occasion Finals. Bringing her whole to profitable medals on 10 of 12 occasions throughout these two competitions within the closing yr of her junior profession.
Leanne will both show the pattern or be the primary to disprove the pattern. But when issues don’t go favorably for Leanne Wong in 2024, she would have a close to Olympic miss in 2021 and most probably one other close to Olympic miss for Paris as properly. Demonstrating simply how excessive this pattern correlates with some type of being an Olympic contender. And if Leanne doesn’t make it in 2024, she might theoretically full the pattern in 2028.
For some gymnasts, you have a look at their routine composition or their athleticism as they compete essentially the most tough eponymous abilities of the day and be so impressed, you’ll be able to’t assist however suppose that the gymnast you’re watching goes to be an Olympian in the future. For Leanne Wong it’s totally different. You have a look at her aggressive resume and see the overwhelming consistency coupled with longevity that’s what makes it laborious to disregard the internal thought this gymnast is definitely going to change into an Olympian subsequent yr.
