Elena Arenas

Elena Arenas
Full nameElena Makenzie Arenas
NicknameLena
Born (2001-08-31) August 31, 2001
Milledgeville, Georgia, United States
Height5 ft 1 in (155 cm)[1]
Gymnastics career
DisciplineWomen's artistic gymnastics
Country
represented
 United States
College team
LSU Tigers
ClubGeorgia Elite
Head coach
Pete Arenas
Assistant coach
Amber Stiles
Medal record
Representing Louisiana State Tigers
NCAA Championships
2024 Fort Worth Team

Elena Makenzie Arenas (born August 31, 2001)[1] is an American former artistic gymnast. She competed at the elite level before competing for the LSU Tigers. She is the 2021 SEC vault champion, and she won a team title at the 2024 NCAA Championships.

Gymnastics career

Elite gymnastics career

Arenas trained at Georgia Elite Gymnastics in Watkinsville, Georgia, and was coached by her father.[2][3] She qualified to compete at the junior international elite level in 2014.[4] At the 2014 U.S. Classic, she tied for 24th place in the all-around.[5] She qualified for the 2014 U.S. Championships and tied for 21st place in the all-around.[6]

In 2015, Arenas won the junior all-around at the WOGA Classic ahead of Japan's Nagi Kajita.[7] She then competed at the 2015 U.S. Classic and finished 19th in the all-around.[8] Then at the 2015 U.S. Championships, she tied for 21st place in the all-around.[9]

Arenas won a silver medal on the vault at the 2016 U.S. Classic, behind Jordan Chiles, and also placed tenth in the all-around.[10] At the 2016 U.S. Championships, she fell three times and placed 11th in the all-around, failing to make the junior national team.[11]

Arenas became age-eligible for senior elite competitions in 2017.[11] At the 2017 U.S. Classic, she finished ninth in the all-around.[12] Then at the 2017 U.S. Championships, she once again finished ninth in the all-around.[13] She stopped competing at the elite level in 2018 and competed in Level 10 until she graduated from high school.[14]

NCAA gymnastics career

In 2016, Arenas verbally committed to the LSU Tigers after also visiting Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Auburn.[3] She joined the team for the 2021 season and competed on the vault in every regular season meet.[1] At the 2021 SEC Championships, she stuck a full-twisting Yurchenko and received the maximum possible score for that vault, 9.950, to win the conference title.[15] She competed at the 2023 NCAA Championships on the vault, balance beam, and floor exercise, helping LSU finish fourth. She did not compete during the 2024 season due to an injury,[1] but she won a team title with LSU at the 2024 NCAA Championships.[16]

Personal life

Arenas' parents are Pete and Kim Arenas (née Arnold).[2] Her mother was also an elite gymnast and won two consecutive NCAA All-Around national championships.[17] She has two sisters and a brother.[4] The family lived in Bogart, Georgia, where Arenas was homeschooled and graduated in 2020.[2]

Arenas graduated from Louisiana State University with a bachelor’s degree in sport administration in 2024.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Elena Arenas - 2021 - Gymnastics". LSU Tigers. June 5, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Elena Arenas". usagym.org. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Caldwell, Matthew (August 14, 2016). "Georgia Elite gymnast Elena Arenas trains with US Olympic gold medalist team at Karolyi ranch". Athens Banner-Herald.
  4. ^ a b "The Girl Who Can Fly" (PDF). StoryWorks/Scholastic. April 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  5. ^ "2014 Secret U.S. Classic Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. August 2, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
  6. ^ "2014 P&G Championships - Women Day 2 Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. August 23, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
  7. ^ "2015 WOGA Classic Results". The Gymternet. February 14, 2015.
  8. ^ "2015 Secret U.S. Classic Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. July 25, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
  9. ^ "2015 P&G Championships - Women Day 2 Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. August 15, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
  10. ^ "2016 Secret U.S. Classic Meet Results – Juniors" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. June 4, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 21, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Interview: Elena Arenas". Inside Gymnastics Magazine. January 2, 2017. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  12. ^ "2017 U.S. Classic Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. July 29, 2017. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
  13. ^ "2017 P&G Championships - Women Day 2 Meet Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. August 20, 2017. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
  14. ^ Giambalvo, Emily (March 31, 2018). "An elite environment: Former Georgia baseball player Pete Arenas leads club gymnastics powerhouse near Athens". Red & Black. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
  15. ^ Chrisman, Spencer (March 24, 2021). "Pair of LSU gymnasts win top SEC honors". WAFB. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
  16. ^ Johnson, Michael (April 21, 2024). "LSU Captures The Crown Winning Its First National Gymnastics Title". The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
  17. ^ "Kim Arenas | Georgia Elite Gymnastics". Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
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