Three months in the past, Leanne Wong’s NCAA gymnastics profession got here to a surprisingly anticlimactic finish.
Wong and the Florida Gators have been one of many favorites to win the NCAA group title. They’d earned the primary 198 rating of the season in January and spent many of the season ranked within the prime 5. Individually, Wong completed the common season within the prime 10 on each occasion aside from ground and was the No. 2 all-arounder within the nation.
However at nationals, one-tenth stood between the Gators and the 4 on the Flooring. As an alternative, the Missouri Tigers superior to this system’s first NCAA gymnastics remaining, and a 12 months after Wong gained a share of the NCAA bars title, the Gators left with no particular person titles both.
“It was an attention-grabbing expertise. Clearly, wasn’t one of the best 12 months as a group, or individually, but it surely’s okay,” Wong informed Gymnastics Now earlier this week.
Whereas her NCAA profession as a gymnast has come to a detailed, Wong’s gymnastics journey isn’t over simply but. She’s staying on with the Gators as a pupil assistant coach for the 2026 season, and she or he’s making one other elite comeback, beginning with the U.S. Basic this weekend.
Leanne’s summer season slate: Natural chemistry, Costa Rica, knowledge enamel surgical procedure, transferring, coaching, camps… espresso?
Earlier than we speak store about Wong’s elite plans, we’ve to take a second to understand the 21-year-old’s effectivity. If there’s somebody getting essentially the most out of life, it’s Leanne Wong. Right here’s how she recaps her summer season to this point:
“After NCAAs, I took two weeks to complete up my lessons (did we point out she’s pre-med?), so taking orgo one – natural chemistry one – and simply took a pair weeks to check for that. It was an examination I missed, I consider, from simply being at meets after which the ultimate, after which went straight into commencement, and three days later, left for Costa Rica.
“It was a mission journey with a bunch referred to as Athletes in Motion and Made for Extra at UF. We went there and supplied water filters for the individuals and households down there, and in addition unfold the gospel that approach, simply type of saying how we’ve soiled water that we put within the bucket after which we put it via the filter and it cleans the water, simply how our sins are cleansed once we settle for Jesus. And it was a very cool analogy…
“Then I got here again to the U.S…. This summer season, I’m taking [organic chemistry two], and [one day], I had an orgo two examination. I practiced within the morning, after which needed to shut on my home that day and take my examination at night time. In order that was wild. After which the following morning I bought my knowledge enamel out. In order that was a wild 24 hours.
“I began transferring into my home two days later, and I principally simply took that point off… I moved, I’d say, lower than quarter-hour away from campus… I simply packed up my automotive like 15 instances and drove backwards and forwards and just about packed and unpacked myself as a result of I type of identical to to know the place all my stuff is, and it’s simply simpler that approach. After which I did some summer season camps, and I suppose began one thing with espresso?”
(Extra on the espresso in a minute.)
Then there’s her outdated home, which she hopes to show into an Airbnb forward of soccer season, the Leanne Wong Bowtique (now licensed with the Florida Gators), and the Leanne Wong Basis, which focuses on decreasing meals waste & insecurity.
As for coaching? “I suppose you can say I’m making an attempt to suit it in the place I can.”
In all probability most astonishing of all is Wong considers this a break.
“I believe that is the primary break that I’ve type of had. Like, I didn’t actually take X period of time off. [I’m] type of simply becoming issues in that I wish to do for all times, making time for it, and simply having days off right here and there, after which getting again within the fitness center. So I really feel like that was type of my break, and taking a while after [NCAAs], type of simply psychological, bodily, emotional – every thing.”
The 2-time Olympic group alternate has a mindset of “there’s at all times time – there’s at all times time so as to add one thing else.”
With that spirit in thoughts, Wong usually practices within the morning to “type of get that executed for the day” after which does “no matter else” she will be able to for the remainder of the day. Proper now, that’s sometimes ending up constructing the furnishings in her new home, which she’s nearly executed with. The transfer has been a months-long saga that started “perhaps per week” earlier than NCAAs. Now she’s getting settled simply in time for elite season to kick into gear… and one other enterprise enterprise to take off.
Rocket Gas: The Leanne Wong Sip Store blasts off
“I can’t bear in mind how [Leanne Wong Sip Shop] began, however all I do know is I’ve been making espresso for individuals for months, and it’s been referred to as rocket gas, as a result of it’s tremendous sturdy, and I suppose it was rated ‘Strongest Espresso in Gainesville’ by a variety of the Gator [gymnastics] employees. After which this Gator camp, I type of joked somewhat bit about opening a espresso store and stuff, however I ended up simply getting a variety of requests, like, ‘Oh, we wish to do that rocket gas.”
Wong’s Rocket Gas – certainly one of 4 choices at the moment out there from the Leanne Wong Sip Store – triggered sufficient of a frenzy that she needed to begin a Google Kind to take orders. That additionally allowed her to customise the drinks – “as a result of everybody’s espresso isn’t the very same.” The lattes go for $5 a pop, and the enterprise maven is at the moment donating all the proceeds to her basis.
You may be questioning, the place does Leanne Wong make 25 lattes when she doesn’t have an precise brick-and-mortar espresso store? Her home, in fact. Then she drives them to campus. This explicit order required three containers – two stacked on prime of one another and one other one.
Wong admits it’s a little bit of a problem to move, however she’s already perfecting the product, getting completely different cups “so the opening isn’t as huge” after which she covers the opening with, you guessed it, athletic tape – “in fact it’s athletic tape.”
“I used to be like, ‘We’re gonna have some huge messes right here,’” she laughed.
Wong is sticking with the area theme, so along with the OG Rocket Gas, there’s Lunar Mild, Galaxy Glide, and a matcha latte for the sippers searching for one thing somewhat completely different.
Proper now, the sip store is within the very early levels, however understanding Wong, it’s about to take off, actually and figuratively.
“I’ve some little plans in my head to see the place it may well go, however we’ll see.”
A minimum of for now, the sip store will dwell on at Gator camps and, perhaps, Florida meets subsequent season. Wong already has individuals on Instagram who wish to attempt the “Strongest Espresso in Gainesville” the following time they’re on the town for a meet. Possibly she’ll even arrange a sales space within the O’Dome.
“Now I gained’t be competing on Friday nights, so I’ll simply make individuals espresso!”
The CEO returns: “Why not see what else I can accomplish?”
Wong has been going nonstop for years. In some way she has continued to thrive outdoors of gymnastics and pave a number of paths that she will be able to pursue after she retires whereas balancing elite and faculty gymnastics since 2022.
Because the 2025 NCAA season got here to a detailed, many fitness center followers puzzled, ‘Is that this it for the CEO?’ However it by no means fairly felt like she was executed but.
“I believe it’s at all times been behind my thoughts. I don’t assume after the final Olympics or NCAAs, I essentially was gonna simply be like, ‘Okay, I’m executed. That is it.’ I don’t know. I type of take a look at it like, okay, [I] nonetheless can do gymnastics. I don’t have to if I don’t need to.
“You realize, all through membership, you practice your whole life for the Olympics, and that was Tokyo, however then, clearly, I bought quarantined there, so I used to be like, ‘Effectively, I don’t actually wish to finish it like this.’ So then simply going again to Japan [for 2021 Worlds] and successful my first two world medals, after which going to 2 extra World Championships and an Olympics whereas I used to be in faculty. It’s type of identical to… additional… I suppose you can say… Whereas I can, why not see what else I can accomplish? … I simply really feel like I’ve skilled my whole life on this sport. I don’t assume I wish to put it away but.”
After years of going backwards and forwards between NCAA and elite, Wong lastly will get to give attention to one.
“I believe it’ll be attention-grabbing to not should travel anymore.”
Wong’s newest elite stint begins this weekend on the U.S. Basic at NOW Enviornment in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Wong was the 2022 U.S. Basic champion, and two years in the past, she completed second within the all-around behind Simone Biles on the identical meet in the identical enviornment. On Saturday, she’ll compete in session two, however she gained’t be vying for the general title, as a substitute opting to give attention to bars and beam earlier than hopefully including extra at championships.
“I’ve type of simply been making an attempt to get issues again. I in all probability gained’t have any loopy upgrades in the mean time, as a result of I’ve simply been engaged on getting [back to] the place I used to be.”
After doing “a variety of life issues,” Wong knew she’d be reducing it near compete on the U.S. Basic and has actually been targeted on getting ready for the U.S. Championships, that are set for August 7-10 in New Orleans.
Wong plans to debut a brand new ground routine at championships, and she or he says it exhibits a special aspect of Leanne – extra enjoyable, much less classical.
“I simply bought [the routine] July 4 weekend, so it’s pretty new, however I actually prefer it. I type of simply began placing the music along with [Florida assistant coach and choreographer] Jeremy [Miranda]. He positively picked some items that I used to be like… ‘I’m unsure about that. I don’t assume I might choose that, however simply put it collectively and perhaps it’ll end up okay.’ After which we have been dancing to it the following day and completed it.”
Wong went from being uncertain to saying it’s certainly one of her favourite ground routines. To this point the suggestions has been constructive as properly, with those that have seen it additionally saying it’s certainly one of their favorites.
One other factor followers can sit up for is the debut of the most recent Leanne Wong authentic leos – now designed and manufactured by Leanne Wong Bowtique. She’ll sport a well-known one at Basic earlier than debuting all new designs at championships.
“I’ve at all times designed them myself after which despatched them to no matter firm I’m utilizing, however I’m gonna use my very own firm 1753066052. I didn’t actually have time to create a brand new one for Classics, so I’m simply carrying one which I’ve had. It’s one of many first ones that I designed and created.”
It’s a brand new period of leos and a brand new period of Leanne Wong – a gymnast with the center of an entrepreneur.
There’s so much on the horizon for Wong. Though she appears superhuman, she is mortal like the remainder of us. In some unspecified time in the future, she’ll retire from gymnastics, whether or not that be on the finish of this season or later down the road… perhaps after lastly changing into an Olympian on the LA 2028 Video games.
However that’s the fantastic thing about what Wong has constructed. Along with her bowtique, she’s going to at all times be part of the gymnastics neighborhood. Along with her basis and future profession as a health care provider and perhaps a espresso store, she’ll proceed to vary lives for the higher.
Leanne Wong is the type of CEO you may’t assist however root for.
