World Champions Centre Explained

World Champions Centre Elite
Full Name:World Champions Centre Elite
Nicknames:WCC
Sport:Artistic gymnastics
Founded:2014
City:Spring, Texas
Owner:Ron & Nellie Biles
Coach:Laurent Landi
Cecile Canqueteau-Landi
Manager:Zachary Francis
Members:Simone Biles
Jordan Chiles
Olivia Greaves
Mélanie de Jesus dos Santos
Zoe Miller
Joscelyn Roberson
Tiana Sumanasekera

World Champions Centre (WCC) is an American artistic gymnastics academy, located in Spring, Texas. It is home to Olympic champion Simone Biles and is owned by her family.[1]

History

After the 2013 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, Aimee Boorman, the longtime coach of Simone Biles, was looking to leave Bannon's Gymnastix. As a result, Biles' mother, Nellie, who co-owned a chain of fourteen nursing homes around Texas, suggested that the family build a gym.[2] World Champions Centre originally opened in March 2014 in a temporary center before moving in September to a warehouse. It now features a 29000ft2 gym floor.[3] The gym opened to the public in May 2016.[4]

Biles International Invitational

The inaugural Biles Invitational was held in 2018 at World Champions Centre.[5]

Starting in 2020, the event served as a qualifying meet for the Nastia Liukin Cup.[6]

Notable gymnasts and alumni

Notable World Champions Centre gymnasts include Olympic Champions Simone Biles (2016, 2020, 2024) and Jordan Chiles (2020, 2024), as well as 2024 Olympic alternate Joscelyn Roberson.[7] [8] All three are additionally World Champions (Biles 2013–2015, 2018–2019, 2023, Chiles 2022, and Roberson 2023). French Olympian and World bronze medalist Mélanie de Jesus dos Santos began training at WCC in 2022.[9]

Additionally Pan American Games champions Zoe Miller and Tiana Sumanasekera train at WCC.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Where Is Simone Biles' Gym? The Texas Center Was Built By Her Parents . . 2016-08-15 . Katherine . Don .
  2. Web site: A Full Revolution: In the run-up to the Olympics, Simone Biles is transforming gymnastics . . 2016-05-23 . Reeves . Wiedeman .
  3. Web site: World Champions Centre . . 2016-05-11 . Abigail . Loop .
  4. Web site: Simone Biles unveils new gymnastics facility . . 2016-05-19 . Adam . Wexler .
  5. Web site: Simone Biles to hold international invitational at family's World Champions Centre in Spring . . 2018-02-22 . Rose-Ann . Aragon .
  6. Web site: USA Gymnastics announces invitationals participating in 2020 Nastia Liukin Cup Series . . 2019-06-24 .
  7. Web site: U.S. women's Paris 2024 gymnastics team announced . olympics.com . Sam . Peene . June 30, 2024 . July 1, 2024.
  8. Web site: 2024-07-01 . 'Redemption tour': 4 Tokyo team members are headed to Paris Olympics . 2024-07-10 . NBC News . en.
  9. Web site: Bregman . Scott . Melanie de Jesus dos Santos to train with Simone Biles' coaches Cecile and Laurent Landi . Olympic Channel . International Olympic Committeedate=April 6, 2022.