Tiana Sumanasekera

Last updated
Tiana Sumanasekera
Tiana Sumanasekera 2024.jpg
Sumanasekera at the 2024 U.S. Championships
Personal information
Full nameTiana Sumanasekera
Nickname(s)T
Country representedFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Born (2007-09-15) September 15, 2007 (age 17)
Fremont, California USA
Hometown Pleasanton, California, USA
Discipline Women's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior International Elite
Years on national team2021–present (USA)
Club World Champions Centre
College team UCLA Bruins (2026–2029)
Head coach(es) Laurent Landi
Cecile Canqueteau-Landi
Medal record
Representing the Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Pan American Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Santiago Team
Pan American Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Medellín Team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2023 MedellínAll-around
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2023 MedellínBalance beam
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg2023 MedellínFloor 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.

Contents

Early life

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

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 Tiana Sumanasekera (USA) 2022.jpg
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

2023

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

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

YearEventTeamAA VT UB BB FX
Junior
2021 Winter Cup 74117Silver medal icon.svg
American Classic8Silver medal icon.svg1412Gold medal icon.svg
U.S. Classic 10617Silver medal icon.svg17
Junior Pan American Games Gold medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svg
2022 Winter Cup 7Gold medal icon.svg22Silver medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svg
DTB Pokal Team Challenge Gold medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svgSilver medal icon.svg
City of Jesolo Trophy Gold medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svg
Pan American Championships Gold medal icon.svgSilver medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svg
U.S. National Championships 9Silver medal icon.svg266Gold medal icon.svg
Senior
2023 Winter Cup 127
Pan American Championships Gold medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svgSilver medal icon.svg
U.S. Classic 1027510
U.S. National Championships 823613
Pan American Games Gold medal icon.svg
2024 City of Jesolo Trophy Bronze medal icon.svg86
U.S. Classic 619174
U.S. National Championships 9237Bronze medal icon.svg
Olympic Trials 812Bronze medal icon.svg6

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References

  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.