Who will replace Simone Biles' former coach Cecile Landi at WCC? All about the new Romanian coaches who will lead Jordan Chiles at the centre

After Cecile Landi left the World Champions Center, Romanian coaches Patrick Kiens and Daymon Jones have taken charge as her replacement. They will now be mentoring gymnasts like Jordan Chiles at the World Champions Center.

The World Champions Center announced on their Instagram page,

"We are proud to introduce our new WAG Program Directors, Patrick Kiens and Daymon Jones. With 3 Olympics, 7 World Championships, 12 European Championships, and consulting at FIG for the new COP, they come with a wealth of knowledge and experience to continue WCC’s tradition of top-tier gymnastics and quality coaching."

Interestingly, both Kiens and Jones had coached the Romanian team for the Paris Olympics. They had led Ana Barbosu to the bronze medal-winning performance in the women's floor exercise event at the Paris Olympics. This was the same event where Jordan Chiles lost out on an individual medal, finishing fifth overall.

Cecile Landi served the World Champions' Center, owned by Simone Biles' parents Ron and Nellie Biles, from 2017 to 2024. She took leave after the Paris Olympics when she accepted the offer from the University of Georgia to be their head coach.

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Cecile Landi's early life and education

Cecile Landi and Laurent Landi with Simone Biles at the Paris Olympics 2024 [Image Source : Getty]

Born on October 3, 1979, at the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, also known as Region Sud in France, Cecile Canqueteau-Landi was interested in gymnastics since the age of five years.

Landi studied for a while at the Aix-Marseille University, only to leave it after a year of study. The French gymnast represented her country at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, though she couldn't make it beyond the qualification round.

After coaching French gymnasts in 2004, Landi moved to the USA with her boyfriend [now husband] Laurent Landi. She joined the World Champions Center in 2017 and personally coached Simone Biles to unprecedented glory for the next seven years.

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How experienced are Patrick Kiens and Daymon Jones?

Patrick Kiens and Daymon Jones, who have replaced Cecile Landi at the World Champions Center in Spring, Texas, have years of experience behind them. Both have coached the Netherlands and Romania in the past.

Kiens had previously coached Egypt for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and the Netherlands till 2016. He has 7 World Championships and 12 European Championships to his credit as coach. He was the head coach of the Romanian gymnastics coach at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

On the other hand, Daymon Jones has five World Championships and seven European Championships to his credit as coach. He was one of the coaches for the Romanian team at the Paris Olympics. Apart from the above, Jones also coached the teams of Austria and Egypt in 2021 and 2016 respectively. Patrick Kiens and Daymon Jones will be hoping to take forward the legacy established by Cecile Landi at the World Champions Center.