{{Short description|Colombian-American artistic gymnast (born 2001)}} {{EngvarB|date=July 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Family name hatnote|Blanco|Saavedra|lang=Spanish}} {{Infobox gymnast | name = Luisa Blanco | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | full_name = Luisa Fernanda Blanco Saavedra | native_name = | native_name_lang = | altname = | nickname = | country = {{GYM National Team|COL|WAG}} | formercountry = {{GYM National Team|USA|WAG}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|11|18|df=y}} | birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | spouse = | training = | height = 1.57m<ref name="alabama"/> | weight = <!-- "X kg" or "X lb" plus optional reference (automatic conversion) --> | discipline = Women's artistic gymnastics | level = | natlteam = 2023–2024 | club = Midwest Gymnastics Center | gym = | collegeteam = Alabama Crimson Tide (2020–2024) | headcoach = Jess Graba | assistcoach = | formercoach = Yevgeny Marchenko | choreographer = | music = | eponymousskills = | retired = | worldranking = | show-medals = yes | medaltemplates = <!-- see Template:MedalRelatedTemplates --> {{MedalSport| Women's artistic gymnastics}} {{MedalCountry|Alabama Crimson Tide}} center|40px {{MedalCompetition|NCAA Championships}} {{MedalGold|2021 Fort Worth|Balance beam}} {{MedalSilver|2021 Fort Worth|All-around}} {{MedalSilver|2023 Fort Worth|Uneven bars}} {{MedalBronze|2021 Fort Worth|Uneven bars}} }} '''Luisa Fernanda Blanco Saavedra''' (born 18 November 2001) is an artistic gymnast. Born in the United States, she represents Colombia internationally. She competed for the Alabama Crimson Tide gymnastic team and is the 2021 NCAA Champion on the balance beam. She represented Colombia at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
== Early life== Blanco was born on November 18, 2001, in Los Angeles, California.<ref name="figprofile">{{cite web |title=Blanco Luisa |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/athletes/bio_detail.php?id=95990 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 October 2023}}</ref> Her parents, Sandra Saavedra and Nelson Blanco, are immigrants from Colombia.<ref name="alabama">{{cite web |title=Luisa Blanco |url=https://rolltide.com/sports/womens-gymnastics/roster/luisa-blanco/9987 |website=Alabama Crimson Tide |access-date=24 October 2023}}</ref><ref name="insidegym"/>
== Gymnastics career == === 2017–2019: Elite === Blanco made her elite debut at the 2017 WOGA Classic. She did not compete in the all-around, but she posted the highest score of the competition on the balance beam, and she won silver with the WOGA team.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2017 WOGA Classic Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2017/02/20/2017-woga-classic-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=24 October 2023 |date=20 February 2017}}</ref> Then at the 2017 U.S. Classic, she tied with Kalyany Steele for the all-around bronze medal behind Alyona Shchennikova and Abby Paulson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/w_17classic_sr.pdf|title=2017 U.S. Classic Meet Results|work=USA Gymnastics|date=29 July 2017|access-date=18 July 2018|archive-date=28 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728162830/https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/w_17classic_sr.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> She then finished 12th all-around at the 2017 U.S. Championships.<ref>{{cite web |title=2017 P&G Championships – Women Day 2 Meet Results |url=https://static.usagym.org/PDFs/Results/w_17pgchamps_sraa.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=25 October 2023 |date=20 August 2017}}</ref>
Blanco finished ninth all-around at the 2018 WOGA Classic and had the third-highest score on the balance beam.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2018 WOGA Classic Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2018/02/18/2018-woga-classic-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=25 October 2023 |date=18 February 2018}}</ref> Then at the International Gymnix in Montreal, she finished ninth in the all-around and on uneven bars and eighth on balance beam.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2018 International Gymnix Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2018/03/11/2018-international-gymnix-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=25 October 2023 |date=11 March 2018}}</ref> She also finished ninth all-around at the 2018 U.S. Classic.<ref>{{cite web |title=2018 GK U.S. Classic Meet Results |url=https://static.usagym.org/PDFs/Results/w_18classic_sr.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=25 October 2023 |date=29 July 2018}}</ref> She then finished 17th all-around at the 2018 U.S. Championships.<ref>{{cite web |title=2018 U.S. Championships – Women Day 2 Meet Results |url=https://static.usagym.org/PDFs/Results/w_18uschamps_sraa.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=25 October 2023 |date=19 August 2018}}</ref> At the 2019 WOGA Classic, she competed on the uneven bars where she had the highest score of the meet and on the balance beam where she finished second behind Sloane Blakely.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2019 WOGA Classic Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2019/02/11/2019-woga-classic-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=25 October 2023 |date=11 February 2019}}</ref>
=== 2020–2023: NCAA === Blanco graduated from Lebanon Trail High School one semester early and joined the Alabama Crimson Tide gymnastics team in January 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=Luisa Blanco and Ella Burgess Sign with Alabama Gymnastics and Will Join the Crimson Tide in January |url=https://rolltide.com/news/2019/11/13/luisa-blanco-and-ella-burgess-sign-with-alabama-gymnastics-and-will-join-the-crimson-tide-in-january.aspx |website=Alabama Crimson Tide |access-date=25 October 2023 |date=13 November 2019}}</ref> Her freshman season was cut short due the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref name="covid"/> At the 2021 SEC Championships, she helped her team win the title, and individually, she won the all-around, vault, uneven bars and balance beam titles. She was named the 2021 SEC Gymnast of the Year.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Alabama's Luisa Blanco Named 2021 SEC Gymnast of the Year |url=https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamacentral/alabamas-luisa-blanco-named-2021-sec-gymnast-of-the-year |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=February 25, 2024 |date=March 24, 2021}}</ref> She scored her first perfect 10 at the 2021 Regional semifinal on the balance beam.<ref>{{cite web |last1=DiLullo |title=Luisa Blanco, Makarri Doggette score perfect 10s as Alabama gymnastics opens NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional |url=https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/sports/2021/04/02/luisa-blanco-scores-perfect-10-alabama-gymnastics-ncaa-regional/7066300002/ |website=Tuscaloosa News |access-date=February 25, 2024 |date=April 2, 2021}}</ref> At the 2021 NCAA Championships, she won the balance beam title with a score of 9.9625, and she finished second in the all-around behind Oklahoma's Anastasia Webb.<ref>{{cite web |title=Alabama's Luisa Blanco and Lexi Graber Win NCAA Titles; Alabama Finishes 2021 Season in Fifth |url=https://rolltide.com/news/2021/4/16/gymnastics-alabamas-luisa-blanco-and-lexi-graber-win-ncaa-titles-alabama-finishes-2021-season-in-fifth.aspx |website=Alabama Crimson Tide |access-date=February 25, 2024 |date=April 16, 2021}}</ref>
At the 2022 SEC Championships, Blanco helped Alabama finish second behind Florida, and she placed second on the uneven bars behind Sunisa Lee. However, she injured her ankle on the balance beam.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rankin |first1=Kim |title=Alabama Finishes Second in 2022 SEC Championship |url=https://tide1009.com/alabama-finishes-second-in-2022-sec-championship/ |website=Tide 100.9 |access-date=February 25, 2024 |date=March 19, 2022}}</ref> The injury was minor, and she competed on three events at the 2022 NCAA Championships where Alabama was eliminated in the semifinals.<ref>{{cite web |last1=DiLullo |first1=Mike |title=Alabama gymnastics season ends in NCAA Championships semifinals |url=https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/sports/2022/04/14/alabama-gymnastics-ncaa-championships-luisa-blanco-makarri-doggette/9498588002/ |website=Tuscaloosa News |access-date=February 25, 2024 |date=April 14, 2022}}</ref> During the 2023 regular season, she scored three perfect 10s on the balance beam.<ref name="alabama" /> Then at the 2023 SEC Championships, she finished second in the all-around to help Alabama finish second behind Florida. Alabama failed to advance to the 2023 NCAA Championships, but Blanco qualified as an individual on the uneven bars and finished in second place.<ref>{{cite web |last1=DiLullo |first1=Mike |title=Alabama gymnastics star Luisa Blanco scores 9.95, falls short of individual national title |url=https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/sports/college/sec/2023/04/13/bama-gymnastics-star-luisa-blanco-falls-short-of-second-individual-title/70093289007/ |website=Tuscaloosa News |access-date=February 25, 2024 |date=April 13, 2023}}</ref>
=== 2023: Elite return === In 2023, Blanco announced that she was returning to elite gymnastics and switching nationalities to represent Colombia. She began training at Midwest Gymnastics Center with Sunisa Lee's coach, Jess Graba.<ref name="insidegym">{{cite web |last1=Sandmaier |first1=Christy |title=Alabama star Luisa Blanco Announces Plans to Compete for Colombia |url=https://www.insidegymnastics.com/news-features/inside-gymnastics-exclusive-alabama-star-luisa-blanco-announces-plans-to-compete-for-colombia/ |website=Inside Gymnastics Magazine |access-date=24 October 2023 |date=8 June 2023}}</ref> She won the all-around and uneven bars titles at the 2023 Colombian Championships.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2023 2nd Colombian Championships Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2023/07/17/2023-2nd-colombian-championships-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=24 October 2023 |date=17 July 2023}}</ref> She was selected to represent Colombia at the 2023 Pan American Games where she helped the Colombian team place fifth.<ref>{{cite web |title=XIX Juegos Panamericanos Santiago 2023 Women's Artistic Gymnastics Teams |url=https://static.usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2023/w_23panamgames_team.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |publisher=Santiago 2023 |access-date=24 October 2023 |date=22 October 2023}}</ref> Individually, Blanco qualified for the all-around final where she finished eighth with a total score of 50.099.<ref>{{cite web |title=XIX Juegos Panamericanos Santiago 2023 Women's Artistic Gymnastics All-Around Final |url=https://static.usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2023/w_23panamgames_aa.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |publisher=Santiago 2023 |access-date=24 October 2023 |date=23 October 2023}}</ref> As the highest-placing athlete who was eligible for an Olympic berth, Blanco qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games.<ref>{{cite web |title=Luisa Blanco Earns Olympic Berth as Part of Team Colombia |url=https://rolltide.com/news/2023/10/23/gymnastics-luisa-blanco-earns-olympic-berth-as-part-of-team-colombia.aspx |website=Alabama Crimson Tide |access-date=24 October 2023 |date=23 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Walsh |first1=Christopher |title=Alabama Gymnast Luisa Blanco Earns Spot in Summer Olympics |url=https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamacentral/alabama-gymnast-luisa-blanco-earns-spot-summer-olympics |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=24 October 2023 |date=23 October 2023}}</ref>
=== 2024: NCAA and Olympics === Blanco announced on April 28, 2023, that she would be returning to the Alabama gymnastics team for her fifth and final year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Not Done Yet with Luisa Blanco |url=https://rolltide.com/news/2023/4/28/gymnastics-not-done-yet-with-luisa-blanco |website=Alabama Crimson Tide |access-date=February 25, 2024 |date=April 28, 2023}}</ref> In Blanco's final home meet, which also celebrated senior night, she scored two perfect 10s, her first on vault and floor exercise.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Luisa Blanco Cements Legend Status With Two Perfect 10s in Final Home Meet |url=https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamacentral/luisa-blanco-cements-legend-status-with-two-perfect-10s-in-final-home-meet |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=March 15, 2024 |date=March 8, 2024}}</ref> She led her team to a second-place finish at the SEC Championships with scores above 9.900 on all four apparatuses.<ref>{{cite web |title=No. 7 Alabama Finishes Second at 2024 SEC Championships |url=https://rolltide.com/news/2024/3/23/gymnastics-no-7-alabama-finishes-second-at-2024-sec-championships |website=Alabama Crimson Tide |access-date=July 29, 2024 |date=March 23, 2024}}</ref> Then at the NCAA Championships, she was one of four Alabama gymnasts who fell off the balance beam, leading to an eighth place finish.<ref>{{cite web |title=No. 8 Alabama Closes Season in NCAA Championships Semifinals |url=https://rolltide.com/news/2024/4/18/gymnastics-no-8-alabama-closes-season-in-ncaa-championships-semifinals |website=Alabama Crimson Tide |access-date=July 29, 2024 |date=April 18, 2024}}</ref> She finished her NCAA career with 21 All-America honors, the most of any Alabama gymnast in program history.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sandmaier |first1=Christy |title=Paris-Bound for Colombia, Luisa Blanco's Dream Means More Than She Could Have Ever Imagined |url=https://www.insidegymnastics.com/news-features/2024-paris-olympics-gymnastics-colombias-luisa-blanco-more-than-she-imagined/ |website=Inside Gymnastics Magazine |access-date=July 29, 2024 |date=July 13, 2024}}</ref>
Blanco represented Colombia at the 2024 Summer Olympics. In the qualification round, she finished 30th in the all-around, but after applying the two-per-country rule, she took the 24th and final spot in the all-around final. She is the first Colombian artistic gymnast to reach an Olympic final.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Windham |first1=Katie |title=Luisa Blanco Earns Spot in Olympic Gymnastics All-Around Finals |url=https://www.si.com/college/alabama/all-things-bama/luisa-blanco-earns-spot-in-olympic-gymnastics-all-around-finals-01j3xn6jfmdj |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=July 29, 2024 |date=July 28, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Former Alabama gymnast Luisa Blanco clinches spot in all-around final |url=https://www.al.com/alabama/2024/07/paris-olympics-former-alabama-gymnast-luisa-blanco-clinches-spot-in-all-around-final.html |website=AL.com |access-date=July 29, 2024 |date=July 28, 2024}}</ref>
== Competitive history == {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;" |- |+Competitive history of Luisa Blanco at the senior elite level representing {{USA}}<ref name="gymternet">{{cite web |title=Luisa Blanco |url=https://thegymter.net/luisa-blanco/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=24 July 2025}}</ref> |- ! scope="col" align=center|Year ! scope="col" align=center|Event ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|Team|Team event}} ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|AA|All-around}} ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|VT|Vault}} ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|UB|Uneven bars}} ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|BB|Balance beam}} ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|FX|Floor exercise}} |- ! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="3" | '''2017''' | align=left | WOGA Classic || || || || || {{gold1}} || {{bronze3}} |- | align=left | U.S. Classic || || {{bronze3}} || || 13 || {{silver2}} || 12 |- | align=left | U.S. National Championships || || 12 || || 17 || 7 || 11 |- ! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="4" | '''2018''' | align=left | WOGA Classic || || 9 || || || {{bronze3}} || |- |align=left | International Gymnix || || 9 || || 9 || 8 || |- | align=left | U.S. Classic || || 9 || || 12 || 6 || 11 |- | align=left | U.S. Championships || || 17 || || 19 || 17 || 14 |- ! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="1" |'''2019''' | align=left | WOGA Classic || || || || {{gold1}} || {{silver2}} || |} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;" |- |+Competitive history of Luisa Blanco at the NCAA level<ref name="alabama" /> |- ! scope="col" align=center|Year ! scope="col" align=center|Event ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|Team|Team event}} ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|AA|All-around}} ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|VT|Vault}} ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|UB|Uneven bars}} ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|BB|Balance beam}} ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|FX|Floor exercise}} |- ! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | '''2020''' | style="text-align:left;"| SEC Championships || colspan="6" rowspan="2" |''Canceled due to the<br />COVID-19 pandemic in the USA'' <ref name="covid">{{cite web|url=https://www.ncaa.com/live-updates/ncaa-cancels-remaining-winter-and-spring-championships-due-coronavirus-concerns|title=NCAA cancels remaining winter and spring championships due to coronavirus concerns|work=NCAA|date=March 13, 2020}}</ref> |- | align=left | NCAA Championships |- ! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | '''2021''' | align=left | SEC Championships || {{gold1}} || {{gold1}} || {{gold1}} || {{gold1}} || {{gold1}} || {{silver2}} |- | align=left | NCAA Championships || 5 || {{silver2}} || || {{bronze3}} || {{gold1}} || |- ! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | '''2022''' | align=left | SEC Championships || {{silver2}} || 12 || || {{silver2}} || || |- | align=left | NCAA Championships || 7 || || || || || |- ! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | '''2023''' | align=left | SEC Championships || {{silver2}} || {{silver2}} || || || || |- | align=left | NCAA Championships || || || || {{silver2}} || || |- ! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | '''2024''' | align=left | SEC Championships || {{silver2}} || {{silver2}} || || || || |- | align=left | NCAA Championships || 8 || 23 || 17 || 5 || 52 || 18 |} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;" |- |+Competitive history of Luisa Blanco at the senior elite level representing {{COL}}<ref name="gymternet"/> |- ! scope="col" align=center|Year ! scope="col" align=center|Event ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|Team|Team event}} ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|AA|All-around}} ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|VT|Vault}} ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|UB|Uneven bars}} ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|BB|Balance beam}} ! scope="col" style="width:30px;"|{{Abbr|FX|Floor exercise}} |- ! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | '''2023''' | align=left | Colombian Championships || || {{gold1}} || || {{gold1}} || || |- bgcolor=#f0fccf | align=left | Pan American Games || 5 || 8 || || || 7 || |- ! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2"| '''2024''' |-bgcolor=98FB98 | align=left | '''Olympic Games''' || || '''23''' || || || || |}
== Career perfect 10.0 == {| class="wikitable" |- !Season!!Date!!Event!!Meet |- | rowspan="1" | 2021 || April 2, 2021 || rowspan="4" | Balance beam || Regional semifinal |- | rowspan="3" | 2023 || February 4, 2023 || Alabama vs Auburn |- | February 24, 2023 || Alabama vs LSU |- | March 3, 2023 || Alabama @ Missouri |- | rowspan="5" | 2024 || March 8, 2024 || Vault & Floor exercise || Alabama quad |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{sports links}}
{{Footer NCAA Gymnastics Balance Beam Champions (Women)|autoclose=true}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blanco, Luisa}} Category:2001 births Category:Living people Category:Alabama Crimson Tide women's gymnasts Category:American people of Colombian descent Category:Sportspeople of Colombian descent Category:Colombian female artistic gymnasts Category:American female artistic gymnasts Category:Gymnasts at the 2023 Pan American Games Category:Gymnasts at the 2024 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic gymnasts for Colombia Category:21st-century American sportswomen