Laura Zeng
Laura Yihan Zeng (曽昳晗; Zeng Yi-Han; born October 14, 1999) is a retired American individual rhythmic gymnast. She is a 2020 Tokyo Olympian, 2016 Rio Olympian, 2015 Pan American Games all-around champion and 2014 Youth Olympic all-around bronze medalist. She is also a multi-time medalist in world-cup competitions and the World University Games. At the national level, she is the five-time (2015–19) U.S. national all-around champion and two-time (2013–14) U.S. junior all-around national champion. Personal life. Laura Zeng was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and raised in Libertyville, Illinois, where  she attended Libertyville High School. Her parents immigrated from China. After first studying Chinese dance and ballet, Zeng started rhythmic gymnastics at age 7 after her friend told her about it. Her older sister, Yecca Zeng (曾瞱昕) is a fashion designer at Victoria's Secret. Her favorite motto is: "Work hard and work smart". She doesn't seem to have a particularly favorite rhythmic gymnast as a role model. She represented team USA in 2016 Rio Olympics Games as sole individual rhythmic gymnast when she was a high school sophomore. In 2018, Laura graduated from high school as a National  Merit Scholar Finalist and committed to Yale University. She is currently at the North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center for the 2020 Summer Olympics, taking gap years at a local community college. Career. Junior. Zeng appeared in international competitions in 2012, she won the gold in ribbon and silver in all-around at the 2012 Junior Pacific Rim Championships behind Canada's Patricia Bezzoubenko and won bronze in all-around at the 2012 Junior World Cup in Sofia, Bulgaria. In 2013, Zeng competed at the Gymnastik Schmiden International winning gold in all-around, hoop, clubs, ribbon and bronze in ball. She  also won bronze medal as one-person team at junior World Cup at Lisbon. She won her first junior title at the 2013 US Junior National championships. In 2014, Zeng started her season competing at the 2014 Rhythmic Challenge winning the all-around and the four event finals. She competed at the World Cup series in Lisboa, Pesaro and Minsk, she won numerous bronze and silver medals in the all-around, event finals and team competitions. At the 2014 Junior Pan American Championships, Zeng swept all gold medals (all-around, hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon) and won the United States a  spot in the 2014 Youth Olympic Games; Later on, Zeng defended her junior title at the 2014 US Junior National championships, placing 1st (all-around, hoop, ball), 2nd (clubs), 3rd (ribbon). Zeng was selected as the sole representative of United States at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China. She placed second in the qualification and went on to take the all-around bronze in the finals with a total score of 56.750, just two hundredths behind Belarus’ Mariya Trubach who took the silver medal. Zeng's medal marks the first rhythmic gymnastics medal for the U.S. at an  Olympic or Youth Olympic Games. Senior. 2015: Rio Olympic Games Qualification. Moscow Grand Prix: In February 2015, Zeng made her senior and international debut competing at the 2015 Moscow Grand Prix finishing 21st in the all-around. USA Challenge: On March 6–7, Laura won 2015 Challenge Championship participated only by U.S. national team members. Lisboa World Cup: On March 27–29, Zeng competed at the 2015 Lisboa World Cup finishing 14th in the all-around. Pesaro World Cup: On April 10–12, she placed 11th in all-around among 56 competitors with a score of 68.40 at 2015 Pesaro World Cup in  Italy. She also made Ribbon finals. Corbeil-Essonnes Tournament: On May 8–10, she competed at the Corbeil-Essonnes International Rhythmic Gymnastics Tournament and finished 3rd in all-around behind Russians Arina Averina and Dina Averina, she qualified to 3 event finals and won silver in clubs, bronze in ball and placed 4th in ribbon. USA Nationals: On June 25–27, Zeng won the all-around title as a first year senior in USA Nationals 2015 ahead of Jasmine Kerber. In apparatus finals, she won in Hoop, Clubs, and Ribbon titles. Pan American Games: At the 2015 Pan American Games on July  15–20, Zeng swept the gold in the all-around with a total score of 64.575 points and all the apparatus finals, becoming the second American to win the all-around and all the apparatus finals at the Pan American Games since Mary Sanders in 2003. Zeng was the most decorated athlete for the Pan Am Toronto. Sofia World Cup: On August 14–16, Zeng finished 15th in the all-around at the 2015 Sofia World Cup behind Spanish veteran gymnast Carolina Rodriguez with a score of 68.750. Kazan World Cup: At the 2015 World Cup Final in Kazan, Zeng finished 10th  in the all-around and qualified in ball finals finishing in 8th place. Stuttgart World Championships: On September 9–13, Zeng competed in her first World Championships in Stuttgart and ranked 11th in qualifications. Zeng qualified to 1 apparatus final finishing 7th in Clubs ahead of Korean Son Yeon-Jae. In the all-around finals; Zeng finished 8th with a total of 70.416 points, the highest finish for an American rhythmic gymnast, bettering the 10th place from Mary Sanders in the 2003 World Championships. As a result, Zeng qualifies the United States an individual spot in 2016 Rio Olympic Games. 2016 : Olympic Games in Rio. Lisboa World Cup: On March 17–20 of the 2016 Olympic season, Zeng competed at the 2016 Lisboa World Cup where she finished 7th in the all-around with a total of 70.150 points and qualified to 3 event finals placing 8th in clubs, hoop and 5th in ball. Pesaro World Cup: On April 1–3, Zeng competed at the 2016 Pesaro World Cup where she finished 19th in the all-around and qualified to clubs final finishing in 7th place. Minsk World Cup: On May 20–22, Zeng competed at the 2016 Minsk World Cup finishing 7th in  the all-around with a total of 70.850 points, she qualified to 3 apparatus finals where she became the first American in history to win a medal in a World Cup series taking 2 bronze medals (hoop: 18.050, ribbon: 18.050) and placed 4th in ball. Besides, this marked only the third time a country from the Americas finished on the podium at the FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup, after Canada in 1990 and Brazil in 2013. USA Nationals: Later on 11-12 of June, Zeng won her second consecutive Nationals all-around title. She was also first in Hoop, Ball , Ribbon and second in Clubs. Kazan World Cup: On July 8–10, Zeng then finished 11th in the all-around at the 2016 Kazan World Cup with a total of 70.900 points, she qualified to 3 apparatus finals in hoop (6th), clubs (5th) and ribbon (5th). Baku World Cup: On July 22–24, culminating the World Cup of the season in 2016 Baku World Cup, Zeng finished 11th in the all-around with a total of 70.350 points behind Azerbeijian's Marina Durunda, Zeng qualified to 3 apparatus finals placing 5th in hoop, clubs and 6th in ribbon. Rio Olympic Games: On  August 19–20, Zeng competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She finished 11th in the qualifications behind France's Kseniya Moustafaeva, narrowly missing the Top 10 in the rhythmic gymnastics individual all-around final. Zeng's finish is the best for U.S. rhythmic gymnast since Valerie Zimring tied for 11th at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. 2017: New Code in Post-Rio-Olympic-Games. Pesaro World Cup: In 2017 season, Zeng's first international competition after the Rio Olympic Games was at the 2017 Pesaro World Cup, and she finished 4th in all -around behind Belarus' Katsiaryna Halkina. She qualified all four event finals and earned her third and fourth career bronze medals for hoop and clubs in a World Cup series. She also finished 7th in ball and ribbon. MTM Ljubljana Tournament: She then participated at the MTM Ljubljana International Tournament, Zeng earned 68.150 points and won the all-around gold medal. In event finals, She also took gold in clubs, hoop and ribbon and a bronze medal for ball. Guadalajara World Challenge Cup:On June 2–4, Zeng competed at the 2017 World Challenge Guadalajara Cup finishing 10th in the all-around , she qualified in 2 apparatus finals: placed 6th in ball and 5th in ribbon. USA Nationals: At the 2017 USA Nationals held on June 27 – July 2, Zeng secured her third consecutive senior National all-around title. She scored 68.552 in preliminary all-around and 69.800 in finals. She also won first in Clubs, second in Hoop, Ribbon and third in Ball. World Games: Zeng competed at the quadrennial 2017 World Games which was held in Wrocław, Poland from July 20–30, she qualified in 3 apparatus finals finishing 5th in clubs and 7th in ball and ribbon. Kazan World Challenge  Cup: On August 11–13, Zeng competed at the 2017 Kazan World Challenge Cup finishing 11th in the all-around behind Italy's Alexandra Agiurgiuculese. Pesaro World Championships: On Aug 30 - Sep 1 at the 2017 World Championships in Pesaro, Italy, Zeng finished 6th in the all-around besting her own 8th in 2015 Worlds as the best American gymnast record. She also made three apparatus finals where she finished fifth in clubs and ribbon and sixth in ball finals, which also marks the American records for both event finals participation and placement. 2018: Continued Code Changes for Open Difficulties. Baku  World Cup: On April 27–29 in 2018 season, Zeng competed in Baku World Cup, where she finished 5th in the all-around with a score of 64.55 behind Bulgaria's Katrin Taseva. Zeng won a bronze medal in the hoop final, she also qualified in clubs and ball finals; finishing in fifth and eighth separately. USA Nationals: In July 2018, Zeng competed and won USA Nationals AA title, which she has done in four consecutive years. She is the first United States gymnast to accomplish the feat in 40 years since Sue Soffe did it in 1979. She also won  Hoop, Clubs and Ribbon titles. World Challenge Cup: In preparation for World Championship, Zeng participated in Minsk World Challenge Cup (8/17-19), and Kazan World Challenge Cup (8/24-26). She finished in all-around 14th and 9th separately with scores of 66.400 and 69.150. Sofia World Championships: On Sept. 10-14 2018 World Championships, Zeng was tenth in all-around qualification with best 3 of 4 routines. In the AA finals, Zeng finished eighth with a score of 73.250. She didn't make any event finals but was reserves for hoop, ball and clubs. This was third straight world championships  when Zeng made top ten in the all-around. Pan American Championships: On Sept. 29-Oct 1, Zeng competed Pan American Championships with teammates Lili Muzuno and Nastasya Generalova. Zeng won AA gold with a score of 71.80 ahead of Mexcico's Marina Malpica. The United States also won team gold to secure full team for 2019 Pan American Games. Zeng also swept four event golds in finals. Laura graduated in May 2018 from high school and committed to Yale University. She decided to take gap years and take courses at College of Lake County in Illinois while training at  her home gym. On December 19, USADA announced Zeng was suspended for six months due to a doping violation detected during a drug test on October 18, 2018. She took a banned substance acetazolamide through a high altitude medicine prescribed to her parent believing it was ibuprofen. In a formal statement, Zeng stated it was during a family vacation to Machu Picchu, Peru. 2019: Tokyo Olympic Games Qualification. Tashkent World Cup: On April 19–21 in 2019 season, Zeng started her very first competition in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where she finished 8th in the all-around with a score of 70.55. Zeng  made two event finals with ball and clubs and reserve for ribbon, finished in sixth and eighth separately. This year's first three World Cup scores have shown unusual variations, indicating continued uncertainty of COP (Code of Point) implementations by judges. Baku World Cup: On April 26–28 in her second competition of the season, Zeng finished 19th in the all-around with a score of 71.35. Zeng made hoop final and finished in third with a bronze medal. As a result, she has won at least one medal in each world cup series every year since the beginning of this  Olympics cycle. Guadalajara World Challenge Cup: In the consecutive third week, Zeng competed in the first of 2019 World Challenge Cup Series in Spain on May 3–5. Zeng finished 6th in the all-around with a score of 75.00. Zeng made hoop, ball and clubs finals and finished in 4th, 5th and 8th respectively. The World Challenge Cup series are set up by FIG(Federation of International Gymnastics) to follow-up to the World Cup Series(April) and prepare for World Championships(September). Brno Grand Prix: On June 7–9 in Brno, Czech Republic, Zeng took bronze in the hoop final and 5th in  the ribbon final. She scored 75.75 in all-around and finished tenth. USA Nationals: On July 2–6 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, Zeng won her 5th straight all-around national title with preliminary score of 77.40 and final score of 78.45. She also won first in Hoop, Ball, Clubs events, and third in Ribbon. World University Games 2019: On July 11–13, Zeng competed at Napoli World Universiade 2019 in Italy. She won Bronze in all-around with a score of 72.60. She also qualified for 3-event finals in Hoop, Ball and Clubs. She finished fourth in  all the event finals. Portimao World Challenge Cup: On Sep 6–9, Zeng competed the world challenge cup in Portugal. She finished sixth in all-around with a score of 78.10 behind Ukrine's Yeva Meleshchuk. She also qualified for 3-event finals in Hoop, Ball and Clubs. She ended up 7th in all with a score of 20.65(Hoop), 20.30(Ball) and 19.80(Clubs). Baku World Championships: On Sep 16–21, Zeng competed her 4th World Championships in Azerbaijan. She finished 13th in qualification all-around with a score of 62.50 behind Belarussia's Anastasiia Salos and three Russian gymnasts, with individual scores of  20.7(Hoop), 20.40(Ball), 21.15(Clubs) and 19.40(Ribbons). She qualified for ribbon finals and resulted in 5th. In the all-around finals, Zeng finished 10th behind Bulgaria's Taseva Katrin with a score of 81.850 (Hoop 21.20, Ball 20.70, Clubs 21.30 and Ribbon 18.65). As a result, Zeng earned one of two spots along with her teammate for the United States for the 2020 Summer Olympics. She also won the prestige Longines Prize for Elegance for the championships.