Can it get any more inspiring than this? Leanne Wong, a key member of the USA Gymnastics Team who helped the USA capture team gold at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, has taken yet another step to inspire young souls. And it’s all about her educational stance at the University of Florida. And she has now put her academic career at the top of her priority list, right next to the 2025 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. 

The US team is all set to dominate the gymnasium in Jakarta as Leanne Wong, Skye Blakely, Dulcy Caylor, and Joscelyn Roberson get ready for the competition scheduled for October 19-25. But during the World Championships, Wong will have to drop off for a few hours and focus on her academics. The reason? She has to appear for her biochemistry examination. 

Needless to say, it’s an interesting stance, balancing school and gymnastics, that has garnered quite a bit of attention on Wong. Of course, she’s known for her composure under pressure and textbook execution. Remember her senior debut at the 2019 American Cup? She got top scores on vault and beam. Later on, she became key for the American team to secure spots on the podium at the World Championships in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Later in 2024, Wong won the NCAA title on uneven bars and got the silver in the all-around. And she did it all while balancing top scores in school. 

Of course, this is not Wong’s first experience, having to balance school and competition simultaneously. After getting into the University of Florida, she highlighted that even on a typical day, she has to stay focused on two major things – school and practice. But there’s also her business. So, how does the 22-year-old prioritize stuff? Leanne Wong stated, “I have to prioritize school and gymnastics first… But I like to say that my bow business is like my free time, my downtime, something I just enjoy doing.”

But balancing a collegiate sports career while tackling academics as a pre-med student is a story that most deem impossible. Yet, Wong chose the discipline and showcased her star abilities in both worlds. Meanwhile, many have wondered about the reason behind her affinity for medicine. Why exactly did she choose such a difficult discipline if she had to juggle it with sports? 

What reeled Leanne Wong into medicine despite being a star athlete?

During a conversation with the Association of American Medical Colleges, the artistic gymnast was asked this question. And her response left the world in awe. Her interest in medicine spiked from the fact that she grew up in a family of doctors. Both of her parents are medical research scientists with PhDs. They conduct clinical trials for drug development. Meanwhile, her father and grandfather are MDs. Additionally, there are a lot of doctors and dentists from her mother’s side as well. 

Leanne Wong continued, “I have been interested in becoming a sports medicine physician after being a gymnast since I was five years old.” And being a gymnast has greatly helped her in her journey to become a doctor. She claimed, “As an athlete for over 15 years, I have learned about the human body and seen how the teamwork aspect of medicine works. I’ve seen how doctors, surgeons, athletic trainers, and physical therapists all work together as a health care team.” 

On top of that, she has the chance to shadow the team of doctors for USA Gymnastics. With the exposure to their roles and how they help the athletes, Wong’s interests piqued even higher. Now, as she enters the 2025 World Championships in Jakarta, she makes sure not to leave her dream of becoming a medico behind.

But academics as a senior in college are different. It’s more technical, which raises the difficulty level. So, can Leanne Wong really manage to ace both school and gym?