Former UCLA gymnast Anna Li will be part of the U.S. team that travels to Tokyo this Friday to compete in the World Championships.
Li, who led the Bruins to a national championship in 2010 as a senior, was selected for the team after participating in World and Pan Am Team Selection in September.
Anchored by her third- place performance at the Visa Championships in August, she has established herself as an uneven bars specialist.
Li posted a two-event uneven bars total of 29.45 at the Visa Championships, three-tenths of a point out of first place. Her first score of 15.05 led all competitors on the event after the first day.
While at UCLA, the eight time All-American scored two perfect 10s on the event in consecutive meets as a senior.
After taking a four-year break from the elite circuit, Li competed in the Visa Championships for the first time since 2005. Her third-place finish on bars was her personal best at the national championships. Li returned to elite competition shortly after graduating from UCLA in 2010, hoping to make a strong case to earn a berth on the U.S. national team.
She will compete with seven other gymnasts at the World Championship, including U.S. Olympian Alicia Sacramone. Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson will be the team’s non-traveling alternate.
The gymnasts will compete at the Pan Am games Oct. 24-29 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Compiled by Mansi Sheth, Bruin Sports senior staff.