UCLA's Tiana Sumanasekera Eyes Olympic Homecoming at LA28
The Paris gold medalist turned freshman gymnast is building steadily toward a 2028 Olympic spot — in the same city where she now trains.
FROM PARIS GOLD TO UCLA FRESHMAN
LOS ANGELES, USA – Tiana Sumanasekera was a reserve on the gold medal-winning U.S. gymnastics team at the Paris Olympics two years ago. Now a freshman at UCLA, the 18-year-old from Fremont, California, is methodically building toward a potential spot on the 2028 U.S. Olympic team — in the city where she now trains and studies.
Sumanasekera made her NCAA debut on January 3, 2026, finishing second to teammate Jordan Chiles on balance beam and floor exercise. Showcasing her expressiveness, polish, and consistency, she has already drawn attention with her Bollywood-inspired floor routine choreographed by UCLA assistant coach BJ Das.
"FULL-CIRCLE MOMENT" IN CALIFORNIA
"I'm taking it step by step, trusting the process," Sumanasekera told International Gymnast Online. "Having the Olympics here in LA, it would be an incredible and full-circle moment, being a California native. So it's of course always on my mind."
After helping the U.S. squad place first at the Pan American Championships in Panama in 2025, Sumanasekera bypassed a shot at the World Championships in Jakarta to properly heal from an injured right ankle — a decision that has proven to be mature and practical as she navigates her freshman NCAA season.
Her resume already includes team and vault gold at the 2021 Junior Pan American Games and eighth place in the all-around at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials.
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