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Tiana Sumanasekera

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Tiana Sumanasekera
Sumanasekera at the 2024 U.S. Championships
Personal information
Full nameTiana Sumanasekera
Nickname(s)T
Country represented United States
Born (2007-09-15) September 15, 2007 (age 17)
Fremont, California USA
HometownPleasanton, California, USA
DisciplineWomen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior International Elite
Years on national team2021–present (USA)
ClubWorld Champions Centre
College teamUCLA Bruins (2026–2029)
Head coach(es)Laurent Landi
Cecile Canqueteau-Landi
Medal record
Representing the  United States
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2023 Santiago Team
Pan American Championships
Gold medal – first place 2023 Medellín Team
Gold medal – first place 2023 Medellín All-around
Gold medal – first place 2023 Medellín Balance beam
Silver medal – second place 2023 Medellín Floor exercise

Tiana Sumanasekera (born September 15, 2007) is an American artistic gymnast and a member of the United States women's national artistic gymnastics team. She is the 2023 Pan American all-around and balance beam champion.

Early life

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Sumanasekera was born to Rajitha and Ruwangi Sumanasekera in 2007. She started gymnastics in 2013.[1] She is of Sri Lankan descent.[2] Sumanasekera is believed to be the first gymnast of Sri Lankan descent to represent the U.S. in international competition.[3]

Junior gymnastics career

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Sumanasekera competed at the 2021 Winter Cup where she placed seventh in the all-around.[4] She next competed at the American Classic where she placed eighth in the all-around but won gold on floor exercise and silver on vault.[5] Sumanasekera competed at the U.S. Classic where she finished tenth in the all-around.[6]

Sumanasekera at the 2022 Pan American Championships

In November, Sumanasekera was selected to represent the United States at the inaugural Junior Pan American Games alongside Katelyn Jong, Madray Johnson, and Kailin Chio.[7] While there, she helped the United States place first as a team, and individually, she won gold on vault.[8]

Sumanasekera competed at the 2022 Winter Cup where she finished seventh in the all-around but first on vault and floor exercise. As a result, she was selected to compete at the upcoming DTB Pokal Team Challenge in Stuttgart alongside Myli Lew, Ella Kate Parker, Ella Murphy, and Hezly Rivera.[9] While there, Sumanasekera helped the team finish first and individually, she won gold on vault and silver on balance beam. In April, Sumanasekera competed at the 2022 City of Jesolo Trophy alongside Lew, Murphy, Madray Johnson, Zoey Molomo, and Gabby Van Frayen. They won the team event, and Sumanasekera won the all-around competition. During event finals, she picked up an additional three gold medals on vault, balance beam, and floor exercise.[10]

In July, Sumanasekera was selected to compete at the 2022 Pan American Championships alongside Molomo, Dulcy Caylor, and Alicia Zhou, where she helped the United States win the team gold and won an additional three medals in the vault, balance beam, and floor exercise event finals.[11][12]

Senior gymnastics career

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2023

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Sumanasekera turned senior in 2023. She made her senior debut at the 2023 Winter Cup where she only competed on uneven bars and balance beam. In April she was named to the team to compete at the Pan American Championships alongside Zoe Miller, Addison Fatta, Joscelyn Roberson, Nola Matthews and traveling replacement athlete Madray Johnson.[13] During the Pan American Championships she won gold on balance beam and individual all-around and silver on floor.[14] During the team final Sumanasekera contributed on vault, balance beam, and floor exercise towards the USA's first place finish.[15]

In September, Sumanasekera was named to the team to compete at the 2023 Pan American Games alongside Jordan Chiles, Kayla DiCello, Kaliya Lincoln, and Miller.[16]

2024

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Sumanasekera competed at the 2024 City of Jesolo Trophy where helped the USA finish third as a team behind Italy and Brazil. She next competed at the Core Hydration Classic where she finished sixth in the all-around. At the National Championships Sumanasekera placed ninth in the all-around and third on floor exercise behind Simone Biles and Kayla DiCello. As a result, she qualified for the 2024 Olympic Trials.[17] At the Olympic trials, Sumanasekera finished eighth in the all-around and third on balance beam behind Joscelyn Roberson and Hezly Rivera. She was named as a non-traveling alternate for the 2024 Olympic team.

Competitive history

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Year Event Team AA VT UB BB FX
Junior
2021 Winter Cup 7 4 11 7 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
American Classic 8 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 14 12 1st place, gold medalist(s)
U.S. Classic 10 6 17 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 17
Junior Pan American Games 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s)
2022 Winter Cup 7 1st place, gold medalist(s) 22 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s)
DTB Pokal Team Challenge 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
City of Jesolo Trophy 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s)
Pan American Championships 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s)
U.S. National Championships 9 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 26 6 1st place, gold medalist(s)
Senior
2023 Winter Cup 12 7
Pan American Championships 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
U.S. Classic 10 27 5 10
U.S. National Championships 8 23 6 13
Pan American Games 1st place, gold medalist(s)
2024 City of Jesolo Trophy 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 8 6
U.S. Classic 6 19 17 4
U.S. National Championships 9 23 7 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Olympic Trials 8 12 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 6

References

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  1. ^ "Tiana Sumanasekera USAG profile". USA Gymnastics.
  2. ^ "American athlete of Sri Lankan origin wins gold medal at gymnastics event". Hiru News. December 5, 2021.
  3. ^ "Juniors Dulcy Caylor, Tiana Sumanasekera Represent A Talented Next Generation Of U.S Gymnasts". Team USA. August 21, 2022.
  4. ^ "Chiles, Parker claim 2021 Winter Cup senior and junior all-around titles, four senior and five junior gymnasts named to U.S. Women's National Team". USA Gymnastics. February 28, 2021.
  5. ^ "Chio takes junior all-around title at 2021 American Classic". USA Gymnastics. April 24, 2021.
  6. ^ "Jong coasts to 2021 GK U.S. Classic junior all-around title behind top scores on vault, uneven bars and balance beam". USA Gymnastics. May 21, 2021.
  7. ^ "USA Gymnastics names 2021 Junior Pan American Games women's artistic team". USA Gymnastics. November 17, 2021.
  8. ^ "U.S. women's team golden in Cali, Jong and Chio take top-two all-around spots at 2021 Junior Pan American Games". USA Gymnastics. November 27, 2021.
  9. ^ "World team members Frazier, McClain headline women's contingent for upcoming DTB Pokal Team Challenge and Mixed Cup in Stuttgart". USA Gymnastics. March 1, 2022.
  10. ^ "U.S. athletes earn 14 medals, six gold, on final day of 2022 City of Jesolo Trophy". USA Gymnastics. April 10, 2022.
  11. ^ "U.S. juniors sweep team, all-around titles on first day of artistic competition at 2022 Pan American Championships". USA Gymnastics. July 14, 2022.
  12. ^ "Richard, Sumanasekera, Zhou golden on final day of Junior Pan American Championships". 17 July 2022.
  13. ^ "Women's senior team named for 2023 Pan American Championships". USA Gymnastics. April 30, 2023.
  14. ^ "U.S. women shine at Pan Ams with eight medals; Sumanasekera wins all-around". USA Gymnastics. May 27, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  15. ^ "U.S. claims men's and women's team titles at Pan American Championships". USA Gymnastics. May 28, 2023.
  16. ^ "U.S. senior women's teams named for 2023 World Artistic Championships, Pan American Games". USA Gymnastics. September 20, 2023.
  17. ^ "USA Gymnastics announces rosters for 2024 Olympic Team Trials – Gymnastics". USA Gymnastics. June 3, 2024.
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