Kayla DiCello wins US' 1st all-around gold at Pan Am Games in over a decade

[Source]

Gymnast Kayla DiCello made history by bringing home the gold medal in the women’s all-around at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, the first time the United States has won in the category in over 10 years.

What happened: DiCello won the women’s all-around category at the 2023 Pan American Games on Oct. 23 with a total of 54.699 points. Flavia Saraiva of Brazil won the silver medal with a score of 54.565, while fellow American gymnast Jordan Chiles bagged the bronze medal with a final score of 53.999.

Speaking to Olympics following the win, DiCello noted that she felt “really good” and “happy” with the result, noting that the win was her “first gold medal as an all-around champion.”

Trending on NextShark: Ex-UCLA gymnastics star Katelyn Ohashi faces backlash for Halloween costume

Making history: DiCello’s victory in the women’s all-around category marked the first time the U.S. won in the discipline in 12 years after Bridgette Caquatto bagged the top medal during the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

What's next: The American gymnast is now reportedly setting her eyes on the 2024 Paris Olympics. To qualify, she would first have to compete for one of the four remaining spots on the U.S. Olympics team, for which the trial is set for June.

In a post on X in April, DiCello announced that she would be taking a gap year from the University of Florida in 2024 to pursue her Olympic dream. She is planning to return to the university’s arena, the Stephen C. O'Connell Center, also known as the O’Dome, in 2025.

Trending on NextShark: Chinese woman flees US after deadly Porsche 911 crash in Washington

Trending on NextShark: What is ‘fried rice syndrome’ and why is it causing panic online?

More on NextShark:

Hello Kitty voice actor announces departure from the character after 33 years

‘Most beautiful yoga grandma in China’: 78-year-old woman goes viral for her physique