{{Short description|American artistic gymnastics academy}} {{Infobox sports team | name = World Champions Centre Elite | color1 = | color2 = | logo = | logo_size = | alt = | caption = | full_name = World Champions Centre Elite | nicknames = WCC | sport = Artistic gymnastics | founded = 2014 | folded = | current = | league = | conference = | division = | history = | arena = | ballpark = | stadium = | city = Spring, Texas | colors = | colours = | owner = Ron & Nellie Biles | president = | coach = Patrick Kiens<br />Daymon Jones | manager = Zachary Francis | gm = | championships = | conference_titles = | division_titles = | playoff_berths = | anthem = | mascot = | broadcasters = | media = | website = {{URL|worldchampionscentre.com}} }}
'''World Champions Centre''' ('''WCC''') is an American artistic gymnastics academy, located in Spring, Texas. It is home to Olympic champion Simone Biles and is owned by her family.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.romper.com/p/where-is-simone-biles-gym-the-texas-center-was-built-by-her-parents-16451 |title=Where Is Simone Biles' Gym? The Texas Center Was Built By Her Parents |work=Romper |date=2016-08-15 |first=Katherine |last=Don }}</ref>
==History== After the 2013 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, Aimee Boorman, the longtime coach of Simone Biles, was looking to leave Bannon's Gymnastix. As a result, Biles' mother, Nellie, who co-owned a chain of fourteen nursing homes around Texas, suggested that the family build a gym.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/05/30/simone-biles-is-the-best-gymnast-in-the-world |title=A Full Revolution: In the run-up to the Olympics, Simone Biles is transforming gymnastics |work=The New Yorker |date=2016-05-23 |first=Reeves |last=Wiedeman }}</ref> World Champions Centre originally opened in March 2014 in a temporary center before moving in September to a warehouse. It features a {{convert|29000|ft2|adj=on}} gym floor.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://communityimpact.com/houston/the-woodlands/business/2016/05/11/world-champions-centre/ |title=World Champions Centre |work=Community Impact Newspaper |date=2016-05-11 |first=Abigail |last=Loop }}</ref> The gym opened to the public in May 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.click2houston.com/news/2016/05/20/simone-biles-unveils-new-gymnastics-facility/ |title=Simone Biles unveils new gymnastics facility |work=KPRC-TV |date=2016-05-19 |first=Adam |last=Wexler }}</ref>
==Biles International Invitational== The inaugural Biles Invitational was held in 2018 at World Champions Centre.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.click2houston.com/news/2018/02/23/simone-biles-to-hold-international-invitational-at-familys-world-champions-centre-in-spring/ |title=Simone Biles to hold international invitational at family's World Champions Centre in Spring |work=KPRC-TV |date=2018-02-22 |first=Rose-Ann |last=Aragon }}</ref>
Starting in 2020, the event served as a qualifying meet for the Nastia Liukin Cup.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=24034 |title=USA Gymnastics announces invitationals participating in 2020 Nastia Liukin Cup Series |work=USA Gymnastics |date=2019-06-24 }}</ref>
==Notable gymnasts and alumni== [[File:2024 US Classic Vault lineup 08.jpg|thumb|World Champions Centre gymnasts at the 2024 U.S. Classic]]
Notable World Champions Centre gymnasts include Olympians Simone Biles (2016, 2020, 2024) and Jordan Chiles (2020, 2024), as well as 2024 Olympic alternate Joscelyn Roberson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/en/news/us-womens-olympic-gymnastics-team-for-paris-2024 |title=U.S. women's Paris 2024 gymnastics team announced |website=olympics.com |first=Sam |last=Peene |date=June 30, 2024 |access-date=July 1, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-01 |title='Redemption tour': 4 Tokyo team members are headed to Paris Olympics |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/olympics/live-blog/us-gymnastics-trials-olympic-spots-live-updates-rcna158568 |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> All three are additionally World Champions (Biles 2013–2015, 2018–2019, 2023, Chiles 2022, and Roberson 2023). French Olympian and World bronze medalist Mélanie de Jesus dos Santos began training at WCC in 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bregman |first1=Scott |title=Melanie de Jesus dos Santos to train with Simone Biles' coaches Cecile and Laurent Landi |url=https://olympics.com/en/news/melanie-de-jesus-dos-santos-to-train-with-simone-biles-coaches-cecile-and-lauren |website=Olympic Channel |publisher=International Olympic Committeedate=April 6, 2022}}</ref>
Additionally Pan American Games champions Zoe Miller and Tiana Sumanasekera train at WCC.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|worldchampionscentre.com}}
{{Simone Biles}}
Category:American companies established in 2014 Category:Gymnastics clubs in the United States Category:Gymnastics in Texas