Laura Zeng

Zeng was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and raised in Libertyville, Illinois, where she attended Libertyville High School. Her parents, Li Chen and Tian Zeng, immigrated from China. After first studying Chinese dance and ballet, Zeng started rhythmic gymnastics at age seven after her friend told her about it. Her sister Yecca is eight years older than her and is a fashion designer.{{cite web |last1=Fincher |first1=Julia |title=Who is... Laura Zeng |url=http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/who-laura-zeng |publisher=NBC Olympics |date=March 22, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419013810/http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/who-laura-zeng |archive-date=April 19, 2016 |access-date=July 7, 2022}} In 2018, Laura graduated from high school as a National Merit Scholar Finalist and committed to Yale University.{{cite web |last1=Nash |first1=Tim |title=Zeng's good luck rituals deliver fourth straight all-around title |url=https://www.usagymchamps.com/2018/07/zengs-good-luck-rituals-deliver-fourth-straight-all-around-title/ |website=USA Gymnastics Championships |date=July 8, 2018 |publisher=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022}} She enrolled at Yale in the fall of 2021 after taking three gap years to train for the 2020 Olympic Games.{{cite web |last1=Dewees |first1=Carter |title=Tokyo to New Haven: Two-time Olympian Laura Zeng '25 starts at Yale |url=https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2021/09/08/tokyo-to-new-haven-two-time-olympian-laura-zeng-25-starts-at-yale/ |website=Yale Daily News |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=September 8, 2021}}

When she was eight years old, Zeng won the all-around gold medal at the 2008 J.O. Compulsory Championships in level 5.{{cite web |title=Junior Olympic Rhythmic Compulsory Columbus, OH All Around Scores |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/JO_Comp_AA_20080609_011543.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022 |pages=3 |date=June 9, 2008}} The next year, she moved up to level 7 and won the all-around gold medal at the 2009 J.O. Optional Championships.{{cite web |title=Level 7 All Around |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_09chicagocup_l7.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022}} Then at the 2010 J.O. Optional Championships, she finished fourth all-around in level 8.{{cite web |title=Level 8 All Around |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_jochamps_062610_l8aa.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022}} She moved up to the Hopes division in 2011 and won the all-around gold medal at the Visa Championships.{{cite web |title=2011 Visa Championships Hope All-Around Finals |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_11vc_hopeaa.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=August 19, 2011}}

Zeng began competing as a junior in 2012. She won the all-around silver medal in the junior division of the Rhythmic Challenge held in Colorado Springs, Colorado.{{cite web |title=2012 USAG Rhythmic Challenge Colorado Springs |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_12challenge.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=February 19, 2012}} She made her international debut at the 2012 Junior Pacific Rim Championships where she won the team gold medal and the all-around silver medal behind Canada's Patricia Bezzoubenko.{{cite web |title=2012 Kellogg's Pacific Rim Championships Junior All Around |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_12pr_jraa.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022}} In the event finals, she won ribbon gold, clubs and ball silver, and hoop bronze.{{cite web |title=Rhythmic Junior Event Finals |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_12pr_jrevents.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022}} She then competed in the Dundee Cup in Sofia, Bulgaria and won the all-around bronze medal behind Aleksandra Soldatova and Zhena Trashlieva.{{cite web |title=Kerber, Zeng win all-around bronze medals at Dundee Cup |url=https://www.usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=10042&prog=h |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=May 7, 2012}} Then at the USA Gymnastics Rhythmic Championships, she won the all-around silver medal and was named to the United States junior national rhythmic gymnastics team.{{cite web |title=2012 Rhythmic National Championship Finals |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_12champs_aa.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=June 27, 2012}}{{cite web |title=Rhythmic Jr. National Team Rosters 2012-13 |url=https://usagym.org/pages/rhythmic/history/past_nat_teams_jr.html#2012 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022}}

Zeng began the 2013 season at the Rhythmic Challenge and won the all-around gold medal.{{cite web |title=2013 Rhythmic Invitational Event Results - AA |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_13challenge_jr.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=February 15, 2013}} She then competed at the Gymnastik Schmiden International in Fellbach, Germany winning gold in all-around, hoop, clubs, ribbon and bronze in ball.{{cite web |title=Zeng wins four gold medals at 2013 Gymnastik International |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=11629&prog=e |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=March 12, 2013}} She won another all-around gold medal at the Rhythmic National Qualifier held in Deerfield, Illinois.{{cite web |title=2013 National Qualifier Event Results - AA |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_13qualifier_junior10.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=May 14, 2013}} Then at the U.S. Rhythmic Championships in Orlando, she won her first junior national all-around title.{{cite web |title=Zeng wins junior title at 2013 U.S. Rhythmic Championships |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=12291 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=June 8, 2013}}

In 2014, Zeng started her season competing at the Rhythmic Challenge winning the all-around and all four event titles.{{cite web |title=2014 Rhythmic Invitational & Challenge Meet Results |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_14challenge_jr.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=February 16, 2014}} Then at the Lisbon International Tournament, she won the ball silver medal and the hoop bronze medal.{{cite web |title=Zeng wins two medals in Lisbon |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=13862 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=April 6, 2014}} At her next competition, the Pesaro International Junior Tournament, she won the hoop silver medal and bronze medals in team, clubs, and ribbon.{{cite web |title=USA wins four medals at Pesaro Junior International Tournament |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=14048&prog=e |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=April 17, 2014}} At the 2014 Junior Pan American Championships, Zeng swept all gold medals and won the United States a spot at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games.{{cite web |last1=King |first1=Leslie |title=Zeng will represent USA in rhythmic gymnastics at 2014 Youth Olympic Games |url=https://www.teamusa.org/Media/News/Gymnastics/YOG-GYMNASTICS---Zeng-will-represent-USA-in-rhythmic-gymnastics-at-2014-Youth-Olympic-Games |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707205550/https://www.teamusa.org/Media/News/Gymnastics/YOG-GYMNASTICS---Zeng-will-represent-USA-in-rhythmic-gymnastics-at-2014-Youth-Olympic-Games |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 7, 2022 |website=Team USA |publisher=United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=June 10, 2014}} She then traveled to Minsk to compete at the Crystal Rose Junior Tournament where she won team gold, ball and ribbon silver, and hoop and clubs bronze.{{cite web |title=Zeng wins four event medals at Crystal Rose Junior Tournament |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=14298&prog=e |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=May 31, 2014}} She defended her junior all-around title at the USA Gymnastics Championships.{{cite web |last1=Gosman |first1=Bob |title=Libertyville's Laura Zeng repeats at USA Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships |url=http://libertyville.suntimes.com/2014/08/06/libertyvilles-laura-zeng-repeats-usa-rhythmic-gymnastics-championships/ |publisher=Libertyville Suntimes |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903110406/http://libertyville.suntimes.com/2014/08/06/libertyvilles-laura-zeng-repeats-usa-rhythmic-gymnastics-championships/ |archive-date=September 3, 2014 |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=August 6, 2014}}

Zeng was selected as the sole representative of United States at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China.{{cite web |title=Who's competing at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games? Here's the list. |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=658333 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=July 21, 2014}} She placed second in the qualification round behind Russia's Irina Annenkova with a total score of 57.375.{{cite web |title=Passion keeps Rhythmic gymnast Laura Zeng spinning towards success |url=https://www.fig-gymnastics.com/site/figNews/view?id=756 |publisher=International Gymnastics Federation |date=August 26, 2014 |access-date=July 7, 2022}} She went on to take the all-around bronze in the finals with a total score of 56.750, just two hundredths behind Belarus' Mariya Trubach.{{cite web |last1=Penny |first1=Brandon |title=Laura Zeng Hopes To Lead Rhythmic Revolution |url=http://www.teamusa.org/News/2014/August/27/Laura-Zeng-Hopes-To-Lead-Rhythmic-Revolution |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140831050317/http://www.teamusa.org/News/2014/August/27/Laura-Zeng-Hopes-To-Lead-Rhythmic-Revolution |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 31, 2014 |website=Team USA |publisher=United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=August 27, 2014}}{{cite web |title=Russian Rhythmic gymnasts repeat golden sweep at Youth Olympic Games |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=764832 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=August 27, 2014}} This marked the first rhythmic gymnastics medal for the United States at an Olympic or Youth Olympic Games.{{cite web |last1=Latimer |first1=Clay |title=For Laura Zeng, Youth Olympic Medal Was Just One Step On Rhythmic Gymnastics Ladder |url=https://www.teamusa.org/News/2015/June/24/For-Laura-Zeng-Youth-Olympic-Medal-Was-Just-One-Step-On-Rhythmic-Gymnastics-Ladder |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702165519/http://www.teamusa.org/News/2015/June/24/For-Laura-Zeng-Youth-Olympic-Medal-Was-Just-One-Step-On-Rhythmic-Gymnastics-Ladder |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 2, 2015 |website=Team USA |publisher=United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=June 24, 2014}}

Zeng began age eligible for senior competition in 2015. She won the all-around gold medal at the Rhythmic Challenge held in Lake Placid, New York.{{cite web |title=2015 Rhythmic Challenge March 6-7, 2015 – Lake Placid, N.Y. |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_15challenge.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022}} She made her World Cup debut at the Lisbon World Cup and finished fourteenth in the all-around.{{cite web |title=Griskenas wins two bronze medals in Lisbon |url=http://54.243.30.70/pages/post.html?PostID=15715&prog=e |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=March 30, 2015}} Then at the Pesaro World Club, she finished eleventh in the all-around and placed seventh in the ribbon final.{{cite web |title=Zeng finishes seventh in ribbon at Pesaro World Cup |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=15788 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=April 13, 2015}} At the International Rhythmic Gymnastics Tournament in Corbeil-Essonnes, France, she won the all-around bronze medal behind Russians Arina Averina and Dina Averina and won a team silver medal behind the Averinas with teammate Jazzy Kerber. In the event finals, she won silver in clubs and bronze in ball and placed fourth in ribbon.{{cite web |title=USA claims four senior medals at International Gymnastics Tournament, including Zeng's all-around bronze |url=https://www.usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=16722&prog=h |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=May 10, 2015}} She then won her first senior national all-around title at the USA Gymnastics Championships, and she also won the hoop, clubs, and ribbon titles.{{cite web |title=2015 USA Gymnastics Champs - Finals |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_15champs_sraafinal.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=June 27, 2015}}

At the Pan American Games, Zeng swept the gold medals in the all-around and all the apparatus finals, becoming the second American to win the all-around and all the apparatus finals at the Pan American Games after Mary Sanders in 2003.{{cite web |last1=Bonato |first1=Jeff |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/sports/ct-lns-rhythmic-gymnastics-laura-zeng-st-0725-20150724-story.html |title=Five gold medals for Laura Zeng in rhythmic gymnastics at Pan Am Games |publisher=Chicago Tribune |date=July 24, 2015 |access-date=July 9, 2022}}{{cite web |title=Zeng completes gold medal sweep at Pan Ams |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=17054&prog= |publisher=USA Gymnastics |date=July 20, 2015 |access-date=July 9, 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Rhodes |first1=Dawn |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-rhythmic-gymnastics-laura-zeng-met-20151204-story.html |title=Local rhythmic gymnasts make history in sport |publisher=Chicago Tribune |date=December 5, 2015 |access-date=July 9, 2022}} Zeng was the most decorated athlete of the Pan American Games.{{cite web |title=Mikulak, Zeng nominated for Team USA's Best of July Award |url=https://www.usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=17100&prog=h |date=August 3, 2015 |access-date=July 9, 2022 |website=USA Gymnastics}} Her next competition was the Kazan World Cup where she finished tenth in the all-around and eighth in the ball final.{{cite web |title=Zeng finishes 10th at Kazan World Cup |url=https://www.usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=17211&prog=h |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=August 24, 2015}}

Zeng was selected to compete in her first World Championships in Stuttgart alongside Jazzy Kerber, Camilla Feeley and Serena Lu.{{cite web |title=Zeng, Kerber headline U.S. Rhythmic World Team |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=17200&prog |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=August 21, 2015}} The team placed ninth, and individually, Zeng ranked eleventh all-around in qualifications.{{cite web |title=34th Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart (GER) Seniors Team Final |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_15worlds_team.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |publisher=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=July 9, 2022 |pages=2 |date=September 7, 2015}}{{cite web |title=34th Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart (GER) Seniors Team Final and Individual Qualifications All-Around Results |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_15worlds_aaqual.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |publisher=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=July 9, 2022|date=September 7, 2015}} She qualified for the clubs final where she placed seventh.{{cite web |title=34th Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart (GER) Seniors Clubs Results |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_15worlds_events.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |publisher=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=July 9, 2022 |pages=3 |date=September 10, 2015}} In the all-around finals, she finished eighth with a total of 70.416 points, the best-ever finish for an American rhythmic gymnast at the World Championships, beating the tenth place of Mary Sanders at the 2003 World Championships.{{cite web |last1=Narang |first1=Bobby |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/libertyville/sports/ct-lbr-laura-zeng-rio-olympics-gymnastics-tl-1001-20150925-story.html |title=Libertyville's Laura Zeng appears headed for 2016 Summer Olympics |publisher=Chicago Tribune |date=September 25, 2015 |access-date=July 9, 2022}} Her results earned the United States an individual spot for the 2016 Olympic Games.{{cite web |title=Laura Zeng's Historic Rhythmic World Champs Performance Qualifies Team USA for Rio |url=https://www.teamusa.org/News/2015/September/11/Laura-Zengs-Historic-Rhythmic-World-Champs-Performance-Qualifies-Team-USA-For-Rio |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914205810/http://www.teamusa.org/News/2015/September/11/Laura-Zengs-Historic-Rhythmic-World-Champs-Performance-Qualifies-Team-USA-For-Rio |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 14, 2015 |website=Team USA |publisher=United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=September 11, 2015}}

Zeng began her 2016 season at the Rhythmic Challenge where she won the all-around gold medal.{{cite web |title=2016 Rhythmic Challenge |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_16challenge.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=June 5, 2022}} A couple of weeks later she competed at the Lisbon World Cup where she finished seventh in the all-around with a total of 70.150 points and qualified for three event finals placing eighth in clubs and hoop and fifth in ball.{{cite web |title=Zeng takes seventh in Lisbon World Cup, advances to three finals |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=18226 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=March 21, 2016}} Next she competed at the Pesaro World Cup where she finished nineteenth in the all-around and seventh in the clubs final.{{cite web |title=FIG RG World Cup Pesaro All around Individual |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_16pesaro_sraa.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=June 5, 2022 |date=April 2, 2016}} At the Minsk World Cup, she made history by becoming the first American to win a medal in a World Cup series when she won bronze medals in both hoop and ribbon.{{cite web |title=Zeng wins two bronze medals at Minsk World Cup |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=18584&prog= |publisher=USA Gymnastics |date=May 22, 2016 |access-date=June 5, 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Bohnert |first1=Craig |title=Laura Zeng Wins Team USA's First-Ever Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup Medals |url=https://www.teamusa.org/News/2016/May/22/Laura-Zeng-Wins-Team-USAs-First-Ever-Rhythmic-Gymnastics-World-Cup-Medals |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527051440/http://www.teamusa.org/News/2016/May/22/Laura-Zeng-Wins-Team-USAs-First-Ever-Rhythmic-Gymnastics-World-Cup-Medals |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 27, 2016 |website=Team USA |publisher=United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=May 22, 2016}} She then won her second consecutive national all-around title and was selected to represent the United States at the 2016 Summer Olympics.{{cite web |last1=Bohnert |first1=Craig |title=History-Making Rhythmic Gymnast Laura Zeng Qualifies For Rio Olympics |url=https://www.teamusa.org/News/2016/June/12/History-Making-Rhythmic-Gymnast-Laura-Zeng-Qualifies-For-Rio-Olympics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615120720/http://www.teamusa.org/News/2016/June/12/History-Making-Rhythmic-Gymnast-Laura-Zeng-Qualifies-For-Rio-Olympics |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 15, 2016 |website=Team USA |publisher=United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=June 12, 2016}}{{cite web |last1=Parker |first1=Kayla |title=U.S. gymnast Laura Zeng is on a historic run to the Rio 2016 Olympics |url=https://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/story/_/id/16175314/us-gymnast-laura-zeng-historic-run-rio-2016-olympics |website=ESPN |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=June 13, 2016}}

Prior to the Olympic Games, Zeng finished eleventh all-around, sixth in hoop, and fifth in clubs and ribbon at the Kazan World Cup.{{cite web |title=Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup Kazan |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_16kazan.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022}} Then at the Baku World Cup, she placed eleventh all-around, fifth in hoop and clubs, and sixth in ribbon.{{cite web |title=Competition concludes at Baku World Cup |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=18959 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=July 25, 2016}} At the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she finished eleventh all-around in the qualifications, narrowly missing the individual all-around final. Zeng's finish tied for the best for an American rhythmic gymnast with Valerie Zimring's eleventh-place finish at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.{{cite news |last1=Soong |first1=Kelyn |title=Rhythmic gymnast Laura Zeng's 11th-place finish is highest for an American since 1984 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/olympics/2016/live-updates/rio-games/scores-and-latest-news/rhythmic-gymnast-laura-zengs-11th-place-finish-is-highest-for-an-american-since-1984/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=August 19, 2016}}

Zeng's first competition after the 2016 Olympic Games was the Rhythmic Challenge in Indianapolis, Indiana where she won the all-around gold medal.{{cite web |title=2017 Rhythmic Challenge |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_17challenge_sr.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=June 5, 2022 |date=March 12, 2017}} Then at the Pesaro World Cup, and she finished fourth in the all-around.{{cite web |title=FIG RG World Cup Pesaro 2017 All-Around |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_17pesaro_aa.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=June 5, 2022 |date=April 8, 2017}} She qualified for all four event finals and earned her third and fourth career World Cup bronze medals in hoop and clubs and also finished seventh in ball and ribbon.{{cite web |title=Zeng wins two bronze at Pesaro World Cup |url=https://www.usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=20034&prog=h/ |publisher=USA Gymnastics |date=April 9, 2017 |access-date=July 9, 2022}}{{cite web |title=Aleksandra Soldatova, Bulgaria, Italy prevail at Pesaro World Cup |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=1772243 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=April 10, 2017}} She then participated at the MTM Ljubljana International Tournament and won the all-around gold medal. In event finals, she also took gold in clubs, hoop and ribbon and a bronze medal for ball.{{cite web |title=Zeng wins four gold medals at MTM Ljubljana International Tournament |url=https://www.usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=20084&prog=h/ |publisher=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=April 10, 2017}} She then finished tenth all-around, sixth in ball, and fifth in ribbon at the Guadalajara World Challenge Cup.{{cite web |title=FIG World Challenge Cup Rhythmic Gymnastics World Challenge Cup, Guadalajara, Spain Results Book |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_17guadalajara.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022}}

Zeng secured her third consecutive senior national all-around title and won the clubs gold medal, the hoop and ribbon silver medals, and the ball bronze medal.{{cite web |last1=Price |first1=Karen |title=America's Greatest Rhythmic Gymnast, Laura Zeng Wins Third Straight National Title |url=https://www.teamusa.org/News/2017/July/02/Americas-Greatest-Rhythmic-Gymnast-Laura-Zeng-Wins-Third-Straight-National-Title |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414072352/https://www.teamusa.org/News/2017/July/02/Americas-Greatest-Rhythmic-Gymnast-Laura-Zeng-Wins-Third-Straight-National-Title |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 14, 2021 |website=Team USA |publisher=United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=July 2, 2017}} She then competed at the World Games in Wrocław, Poland where she finished fifth in clubs and seventh in ball and ribbon.{{cite web |title=Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual Event Finals |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_17worldgames_eventfinal.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |publisher=The World Games |access-date=July 9, 2022}} Then at the Kazan World Challenge Cup, she finished eleventh in the all-around.{{cite web |title=Kazan World Challenge Cup Individual All-Around |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_17kazan_indaa.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=June 5, 2022 |date=August 12, 2017}} At the World Championships in Pesaro, Zeng finished sixth in the all-around besting her own eighth-place finish in 2015 as the best-ever all-around finish for an American at the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships.{{cite web |title=Zeng finishes sixth in the all-around at Rhythmic Worlds |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=20768 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=June 5, 2022 |date=September 1, 2017}}{{cite web |last1=Price |first1=Karen |title=With Sixth Place, Laura Zeng Sets New Record For Highest American Finish At Rhythmic Gymnastics Worlds |url=https://www.teamusa.org/News/2017/September/01/Laura-Zeng-Sets-New-Record-For-Highest-American-Finish-At-Rhythmic-Gymnastics-Worlds |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902025150/http://www.teamusa.org/News/2017/September/01/Laura-Zeng-Sets-New-Record-For-Highest-American-Finish-At-Rhythmic-Gymnastics-Worlds |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 2, 2017 |website=Team USA |publisher=United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=September 1, 2017}} She also advanced into three event finals along with teammate Evita Griskenas who advanced into two event finals, marking the first time two American gymnasts qualified for event finals at the World Championships.{{cite web |title=Griskenas, Zeng advance to event finals at 2017 Rhythmic World Championships |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=20732 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=June 5, 2022 |date=August 30, 2017}} In the event finals, she placed fifth in clubs and ribbon and sixth in ball.{{cite web |title=Zeng, Griskenas compete in apparatus finals at Rhythmic Worlds |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=20740 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=June 5, 2022 |date=August 30, 2017}}{{cite web |title=Zeng, Griskenas complete historic day for Team USA at Rhythmic Worlds |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=20753 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=June 5, 2022 |date=August 31, 2017}}

Zeng began the 2018 season at the Rhythmic Challenge and won the all-around gold medal.{{cite web |title=2018 Rhythmic Challenge & Invitational Meet Results |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_18challenge_sr.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=February 24, 2018}} In April, she competed at the Baku World Cup and won the hoop bronze medal in a tie-breaker with Boryana Kaleyn behind Russia's Mariia Sergeeva and Belarus's Katsiaryna Halkina.{{cite web |title=Sergeeva, Bulgaria shine as World Cup concludes in Baku |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=2049108 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=April 30, 2018}} Then in July, she won her fourth consecutive national all-around title marking the first rhythmic gymnast to win four U.S. all-around titles since Sue Soffe in 1979.{{cite web |title=Zeng's good luck rituals deliver fourth straight all-around title |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=22218&prog=h |publisher=USA Gymnastics |date=July 7, 2018 |access-date=July 9, 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Abrams |first1=Alex |title=Unstoppable Laura Zeng Is First Rhythmic Gymnast To Win 4 U.S. All-Around Titles In Nearly 40 Years |url=https://www.teamusa.org/News/2018/July/08/Unstoppable-Laura-Zeng-Is-First-Rhythmic-Gymnast-To-Win-4-US-All-Around-Titles-In-Nearly-40-Years |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708080339/https://www.teamusa.org/News/2018/July/08/Unstoppable-Laura-Zeng-Is-First-Rhythmic-Gymnast-To-Win-4-US-All-Around-Titles-In-Nearly-40-Years |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 8, 2018 |website=Team USA |publisher=United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee |date=July 8, 2018 |access-date=July 9, 2022}} In August, she competed at the BSB Bank World Challenge Cup in Minsk and finished fourteenth in the all-around.{{cite web |title=FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics BSB Bank World Challenge Cup Individual All-Around |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_18minsk.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=June 21, 2022}} The next week she competed at the Kazan World Challenge Cup where she placed fifth in the clubs final and ninth in the all-around.{{cite web |title=Rhythmic Gymnastics World Challenge Cup Kazan |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_18kazan.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=June 21, 2022}} At the World Championships, Zeng, Evita Griskenas, and Camilla Feeley finished seventh in the team event, the highest ever finish for the United States.{{cite web |title=Feeley, Griskenas, Zeng unite for USA's best-ever team finish at Rhythmic Worlds |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=22536 |website=USA Gymnastics |date=September 13, 2018 |access-date=June 21, 2022}} Individually, she qualified for the all-around final and placed eighth with a total score of 66.950.{{cite web |title=36th FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships Sofia (BUL), 10-16 September 2018 Individual All-Around Final |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/r_18worlds_aa.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |publisher=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 March 2022 |date=14 September 2018}} After the World Championships, she competed at the Pan American Championships and won the all-around gold and team gold with Lili Mizuno and Nastasya Generalova. Zeng also swept the four event gold medals.{{cite web |title=USA wins eight event medals at 2018 Pan American Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=22643 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=September 30, 2018}}

On October 18, 2018, Zeng tested positive for acetazolamide during out-of-competition testing. She provided evidence to the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) that she was prescribed an altitude sickness medication containing acetazolamide while on vacation in Machupicchu, Peru believing it was ibuprofen. On December 19, she accepted a six-month suspension from USADA beginning on the date of her positive test.{{cite web |title=U.S. Gymnastics Athlete Laura Zeng Accepts Sanction for Anti-Doping Rule Violation |url=https://www.usada.org/sanction/laura-zeng-accepts-doping-sanction/ |website=United States Anti-Doping Agency |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=December 19, 2018}}{{cite web |title=Zeng receives six-month USADA suspension |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=23059 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=December 19, 2018}}

Zeng began her 2019 season at the Tashkent World Cup where she placed eighth in the all-around and clubs and sixth in ball.{{cite web |title=FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup Tashkent |url=http://www.gfl.lv/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Results-Book_RG-WC-Tashkent.pdf |website=Latvian Gymnastics Federation |publisher=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=July 9, 2022}} She then won a bronze medal in hoop at the Baku World Cup behind Dina Averina and Linoy Ashram.{{cite web |title=Dina dominates in Baku as World Cup season closes |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=2455556 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=April 29, 2014}} Then in May, she placed sixth all-around, fourth in hoop, fifth in ball, and eighth in clubs at the Guadalajara World Challenge Cup.{{cite web |title=U.S. rhythmic gymnasts compete in event finals at Guadalajara World Challenge Cup |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=23815 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=May 5, 2019}} She won another hoop bronze medal at the Brno Grand Prix and placed fifth in ribbon and tenth in all-around.{{cite web |title=Grand Prix Brno 2019 |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2019/r_19brno_srevents.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022}} She then competed at the USA Gymnastics Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, and won her fifth straight all-around national title and also won hoop, ball, and clubs gold and ribbon bronze.{{cite web |last1=Bowker |first1=Paul |title=Laura Zeng, Jeffrey Gluckstein Keep Winning Streaks Going at USA Gymnastics Championships |url=https://www.teamusa.org/News/2019/July/06/Laura-Zeng-Jeffrey-Gluckstein-Keep-Winning-Streaks-Going-At-USA-Gymnastics-Championships |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190707062021/https://www.teamusa.org/News/2019/July/06/Laura-Zeng-Jeffrey-Gluckstein-Keep-Winning-Streaks-Going-At-USA-Gymnastics-Championships |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 7, 2019 |website=Team USA |publisher=United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=July 6, 2019}} She won the all-around bronze medal at the Summer Universiade behind Ekaterina Selezneva and Zohra Aghamirova, and she also finished fourth in the hoop, ball, and clubs final.{{cite web |title=30th Summer Universiade 2019 Rhythmic Gymnastics Qualification Individual Seniors |url=https://universiade2019napoli.microplustiming.com/assets/pdf/SENIORS%20-%20Individual%20-%20Qualification%20AllAroundResultsRg.pdf |website=30th Summer Universiade 2019 Main Results |access-date=May 8, 2021 |date=July 12, 2019}}

Zeng finished sixth in the all-around at the Portimao World Challenge Cup, and she also finished seventh in the hoop, ball, and clubs finals.{{cite web |last1=Perelman |first1=Rich |title=Soldatova wins All-Around, but Italy wins six at Portimao Challenge Cup |url=https://www.thesportsexaminer.com/gymnastics-soldatova-wins-all-around-but-italy-wins-six-at-portimao-challenge-cup/ |website=The Sports Examiner |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=September 8, 2019}} At the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, the American team of Zeng, Evita Griskenas, and Camilla Feeley placed seventh.{{cite web |title=37th FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships Baku (AZE), 16-22 September 2019 Team Ranking |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2019/r_19worlds_team.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |publisher=International Gymnastics Federation |date=September 17, 2019 |access-date=June 29, 2022}} In the ribbon final, she finished fifth, and she finished tenth in the all-around final with a total score of 81.850.{{cite web |title=Zeng finishes fifth in ribbon final at 2019 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=24533 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=September 19, 2019}}{{cite web |title=37th FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships Baku (AZE), 16-22 September 2019 Individual All-Around Final |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2019/r_19worlds_aa.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |publisher=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=June 29, 2022 |date=September 20, 2019}} As a result, Zeng earned one of two spots along with her teammate Evita Griskenas for the United States for the 2020 Summer Olympics, marking the first time the United States qualified two rhythmic gymnasts for the Olympic Games since 1992.{{cite web |last1=Price |first1=Karen |title=Evita Griskenas, Laura Zeng Secure Two U.S. Olympic Quota Spots In Rhythmic For The First Time Since 1992 |url=https://www.teamusa.org/News/2019/September/20/Evita-Griskenas-Laura-Zeng-Secure-Two-US-Olympic-Quota-Spots-In-Rhythmic |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920234246/https://www.teamusa.org/News/2019/September/20/Evita-Griskenas-Laura-Zeng-Secure-Two-US-Olympic-Quota-Spots-In-Rhythmic |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 20, 2019 |website=Team USA |publisher=United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=September 20, 2019}} At the end of the World Championships, she was awarded the Longines Prize for Elegance.{{cite web |title=Laura Zeng wins Longines Prize for Elegance at Rhythmic Worlds |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=2638512 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=September 20, 2019}}

Zeng won the all-around gold medal at the 2020 Rhythmic Challenge in Lake Placid, New York.{{cite web |title=2020 Rhythmic Challenge & Invitational Meet Results |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2020/r_20challenge_sr.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=June 30, 2022 |date=February 9, 2020}} This was her only competition of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She returned to competition in February 2021 at the Rhythmic Challenge and won the all-around silver medal behind Evita Griskenas.{{cite web |title=USA Gymnastics Rhythmic Challenge & Invitational |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2021/r_21challenge_sr.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=June 30, 2022 |date=February 28, 2022}} Her next competition was the 2021 Sofia World Cup where she finished sixth in hoop, seventh in the all-around, and eighth in ball.{{cite web |title=Laura Zeng Finishes Top 10 All-Around At Sofia World Cup |url=https://www.flogymnastics.com/articles/6943314-laura-zeng-finishes-top-10-all-around-at-sofia-world-cup |website=FloGymnastics |publisher=FloSports |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=March 29, 2021}} Then at the Tashkent World Cup, she finished seventh in hoop and eighth in ball.{{cite web |title=Zeng finishes seventh in hoop and eighth in ball apparatus finals at 2021 Tashkent World Cup |url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=26068 |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022 |date=April 18, 2021}} She finished sixth in hoop and ninth in all-around at the Baku World Cup.{{cite web |title=AGF Trophy 2021 All-Around Results |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2021/r_21baku_aa.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=June 30, 2022 |date=May 8, 2021}} Her final World Cup was in Pesaro, and she placed sixth in hoop and seventh all-around and ball.{{cite web |title=FIG World Cup 2021 Individual All-Around Pesaro |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2021/r_21pesaro_indaa.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=June 30, 2022}}

Zeng won the all-around at the 2021 USA Gymnastics Championships and was selected to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics.{{cite web |last1=Drumwright |first1=Steve |title=Zeng and Griskenas Earn Rhythmic Spots for Tokyo, While Ahsinger Qualifies in Trampoline |url=https://www.teamusa.com/news/2021/june/27/zeng-and-griskenas-earn-rhythmic-spots-for-tokyo-while-ahsinger-qualifies-in-trampoline |website=Team USA |publisher=United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=June 27, 2021}} Before the Olympics, she competed at the Israel Grand Prix in Tel Aviv where she placed sixth in clubs and seventh in all-around, hoop, and ball.{{cite web |title=Grand Prix Israel Rhythmic Gymnastics |url=https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2021/r_21israel_ind.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |access-date=July 9, 2022}} At the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, she finished thirteenth in the qualification round for the individual all-around and was the third reserve for the final.{{cite web |last1=Hart |first1=Torrey |title=Americans miss out on individual rhythmic gymnastics final |url=https://www.clickondetroit.com/sports/2021/08/06/americans-miss-out-on-individual-rhythmic-gymnastics-final/ |website=Click on Detroit |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=August 6, 2021}}

• First Non-European gymnast to win Longines Prize for Elegance since 1997 when the Prize started.
• First American rhythmic gymnast to qualify for two Olympic Games.
• First and only American rhythmic gymnast to win a medal at the World University Games (2019 Napoli Universiade).
• First American rhythmic gymnast to win a medal at the World Cup series (Minsk 2016, Pesaro 2017, Baku 2018, Baku 2019).
• First and only American rhythmic gymnast to win a medal at the Youth Olympic Games (Nanjing 2014).
• 2013–2019 USA all-around national champion (2013-14 junior, 2015-19 senior).
• Swept all five gold medals in Toronto Pan American Games in 2015. She was the most decorated athlete for the game.
• In Rio Olympic Games in 2016, she finished 11th, which tied the best performance by an American in an Olympics, missing finals by 1/10th point.
• She holds the best All-Around finish in a World Championship by an American ever. She was 6th in the 2017 World Championships in Pesaro, besting her own record of 8th in the 2015 World Championships in Stuttgart.
• First American rhythmic gymnast to qualify for three event finals in a world championship (clubs, ribbon, and ball in 2017 Worlds).
• She holds best event finals finish by an American in a world championship (5th in ribbon and ball in 2017 Worlds and 5th in ribbon in 2019 Worlds).
• She holds the best team finish in a World Championship by any American team ever. She, along with Evita Griskenas and Camilla Feeley, finished 7th in the 2018 World Championships in Sofia, and 2019 Worlds in Baku.

Zeng announced her retirement from rhythmic gymnastics on her Instagram account on January 22, 2022.{{Cite instagram |user=toss_and_catch |author=Laura Zeng |postid=CZDXusRgnBp |title=It's time to close a chapter... |date=January 22, 2022 |access-date=July 7, 2022}} She is studying urban studies and cognitive science at Yale University and is a staff reporter for the student newspaper, Yale Daily News.{{cite web |title=Laura Zeng |url=https://yaledailynews.com/blog/author/laurazeng/ |website=Yale Daily News |access-date=July 7, 2022}}

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• {{FIG|bio=36740|lic=21027|name=Laura Zeng}}
• {{USA Gymnastics|253604|Laura Zeng}}
• {{Team USA|new_id=laura-zeng-827598|old_id=Laura-Zeng|sport=usa-gymnastics|archive=20230623041259}}
• {{Olympedia}}
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{{Footer USA Gymnastics 2016 Summer Olympics}}

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Category:1999 births

Category:Living people

Category:American rhythmic gymnasts

Category:American sportswomen of Chinese descent

Category:Doping cases in gymnastics

Category:Gymnasts at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics

Category:Gymnasts at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Category:Summer World University Games medalists in gymnastics

Category:FISU World University Games bronze medalists for the United States

Category:Olympic gymnasts for the United States

Category:Gymnasts at the 2015 Pan American Games

Category:Medalists at the 2015 Pan American Games

Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in gymnastics

Category:Medalists at the 2019 Summer Universiade

Category:Gymnasts at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Category:21st-century American sportswomen

Category:Medalists at the Rhythmic Gymnastics Pan American Championships