Two-time World Champion and Frisco Native Skye Blakely’s Journey to Gymnastics Greatness
By Monica Wallis
When Skye Blakely was seven years old, she sat in front of the TV, completely captivated by Gabby Douglas, a “Fierce Five” 2012 U.S. Olympic gymnastics team member. “Seeing someone who looked like me be out there and win gold inspired me to want to do the exact same thing. She’s been my role model for the longest time,” Skye said.
Fast forward 12 years, and Skye, 19, is a two-time world champion gymnast, seven-time USA national team member, and is sponsored by Nike. A gymnast of Skye’s caliber makes the sport look easy, with her poised demeanor, quiet confidence, and expertly executed skills. But what many don’t see is the blood, sweat, and tears that go into such a high level of performance. So, to go forward, we must go backward.
Early Beginnings
It’s often said that to be one of the greats, you should start early. Skye’s entrance to the sport, though early, was born more out of curiosity. “It wasn’t super intentional,” she remembered. “We were driving around, and we saw WOGA and gymnastics, and my mom was like, oh, this would be great for me and my sister. So, we ended up starting together and doing it recreationally for fun.”
Skye and her sister, Sloane, began their gymnastics journeys at ages three and five, respectively, right here in Sports City, USA, at World Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA) Frisco. Co-founded by Olympic Champion Valeri Liukin and World Sports Acrobatic Champion Yevgeny Marchenko, WOGA is esteemed as one of the largest and most successful gymnastics training programs in the world. For reference, five-time Olympic medalist Nastia Liukin (Beijing 2008) trained at WOGA’s Plano location, which her father, Valeri, still coaches and runs today. Olympic champions Carly Patterson (Athens 2004) and Madison Kocian (Rio 2016) also make up the impressive roster of former WOGA gymnasts.
For the Blakely girls, at the time, the sport mainly served as entertainment. “I loved the ability to be active and do flips and try new things, but what I really liked about it is that it challenged me to try to get to the next level and learn something new. I just really liked that feeling,” Skye said. Stephanie and Steven Blakely, the girls’ parents, helped to instill this interest in the sport as something fun, too. “They’ve always reminded me that I do the sport for fun and to enjoy myself and not be too hard on myself. They’ve always encouraged me and not once have they ever made me feel pressured to do the sport. It’s all been love from my parents.” She added: “And even my sister—having someone who’s two years older than you in the same sport on the same team—if she got a new skill, I was like, ‘Oh, I have to have it. I need to do that too.’ So, she encouraged and pushed me as well.”
Getting Focused
Then the 2012 London Olympics aired. The “Fierce Five” dominated The Games. You probably remember the names: Gabby Douglas, Jordyn Wieber, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, and Kyla Ross. Something clicked for Skye that day, taking her time at WOGA from an enjoyable pastime to a serious pursuit. “I remember being like, ‘I want to do exactly this. I want to go to the Olympics and do what they’re doing.’ It wasn’t until I was ten, though, that I truly understood the goal I had for myself—like, okay, this is a little bit harder than I thought; it’s going to be a lot of hard work and some sacrifices. But I started to put in perspective what I needed to do to achieve that goal.”
Flips on a four-inch beam the width of your hand. Leaping to heights that exceed an NBA player’s stature. Complicated twists that’ll make your head spin—like the Cheng on vault, Skye’s favorite skill to perform (and a key move to earn an Olympic gold medal in the event). These feats are undeniably tough—though Skye makes them look easy—but for a student-athlete, there’s an added challenge: school. Balancing class, homework, exams, college prep, and social life is demanding enough, let alone when you’re training to be an Olympic gymnast. As a 2023 graduate of Frisco ISD’s Wakeland High School, Skye had to make sacrifices that most students, even other athletes, don’t face. Her sport required two trainings a day, often taking her away from the classroom. Thankfully, for Skye, she had a great support system behind her. “Wakeland did a great job in being flexible with me and my schedule. I was still allowed to train twice a day and feel like a regular student, interacting with my friends and other people in different sports. My teachers always helped me if I had to leave for a competition; they were always super supportive and helped me get things printed out or emailed to me, so they made it really easy.” Before high school, Skye was homeschooled for grades 5-8, where she’d take online school at the gym.
The World Stage
That sacrifice in the classroom and beyond was worth it, taking Skye to new heights: winning gold with Team USA at the 2022 World Championships in Liverpool and again at the 2023 World Championships in Antwerp. In the world of elite gymnastics, few experiences can rival the exhilaration of standing atop the podium, knowing that all the hard work and dedication have paid off in the form of a gold medal. “It was just so surreal… that was my first big world stage,” she reflected.
Representing her country on such a grand level felt like the culmination of years of relentless effort, and she couldn’t help but think of her younger self, who would have been proud beyond measure. “It feels like such a great accomplishment. You’ve worked so hard for this, and now it’s paying off. You earned this spot,” she said. Sharing these moments with her teammates and knowing that their collective efforts had brought home gold for Team USA, made the experience even more rewarding. “It’s just an amazing feeling, an amazing accomplishment, and I’ll never forget those memories.”
However, the road to greatness is rarely smooth, and Skye’s journey was no exception. In June, during podium training at the Olympic trials in Minneapolis, Skye suffered a devastating Achilles rupture while practicing her floor exercise, just as she was poised to secure her spot on the 2024 Olympic team alongside Simone Biles. “I felt that something wasn’t right,” she recalled. In that split second, her world changed. The reality of the injury was hard to accept, especially after pouring her body, mind, and heart into training. “I just didn’t want to believe that this was the reality that I was in,” she admitted, describing the emotional turmoil of facing such a significant setback. “This is not the way I saw my Olympic trials going or how my season ends,” read Blakely’s Instagram post at the time. “I’m devastated and heartbroken, but I believe everything happens for a reason. I was so close to reaching my dream, but this injury was unavoidable. I had an amazing season that I am extremely grateful for.”
Despite the heartbreak, Skye found solace in the overwhelming support from her team and the gymnastics community. The outpouring of love, both in person and on social media, provided a much-needed boost during a difficult time. “Even during the first day of the competition, they acknowledged me throughout and called my name out and the whole crowd gave me a standing ovation. They all stood up for me. I said I wasn’t going to cry, but it did move me to tears. Just seeing everybody stand up to support me and cheer for me, I felt so loved.” This support, along with the guidance of her sports psychologist, helped her navigate the emotional aftermath of her injury.
Now, as she focuses on her recovery, Skye’s perspective has shifted. While the injury may have delayed her Olympic dreams, it has also opened up new opportunities, including her upcoming collegiate gymnastics career. “I have something exciting coming up,” she beamed. With her eyes set on the future, Skye is determined to stay strong, both physically and mentally, as she continues her journey. “I’m only 19 years old, and my career is not over yet.”
Dreams Take Flight to Florida
By mid-August, Skye had packed her bags for the Sunshine State. Her final destination? The University of Florida, where she joined the women’s gymnastics program alongside her older sister, who’s already part of the team.
Skye mentioned being impressed by the university’s track record of supporting athletes who compete on both the NCAA and international stages. With her sights set on returning to global competition, Skye is confident that the coaching staff at Florida will help her achieve that goal. “Knowing that I have coaches who have done that before and can balance both, that also helps me,” she noted.
But it’s not just about the bars, beam, floor, and vault for Skye. Her decision was also driven by her desire to find a school that offered the perfect balance between athletics and academics. Over the next four years, she plans to major in health education and behavior, a field that’s always piqued her interest. With a strong academic program and a powerhouse gymnastics organization, the Gators stood out as the ideal team for her to pursue her goals both on and off the mat.
“It’s All Been Love”
This fierce competitor and Frisco native recognized she wouldn’t be where she is today without the support of her loved ones—her parents, sister, gym mates, and Coach Yevgeny Marchenko. “Marchenko’s known me since I’ve been here when I was three years old. I can definitely feel the love from him and he’s always there for me, even through those hard days, he’s pulled me aside, encouraging and reminding me of what I’ve done and what I still have to do. So he’s always been there for me and that’s been extremely helpful.”
“Being in this sport has allowed me to get closer to God and in my faith because you need a lot of faith in this sport. It is hard. There are so many ups and downs, but I put all my trust in Him and He’s the reason for all my success,” she concluded.
As we wrapped up our chat, I asked Skye if we’ll see her at the 2028 Olympic Games on our home turf in Los Angeles. “I think so,” she replied with a beaming smile. “It’s definitely a big goal of mine now that I get to work toward.”
Skye’s story is one of resilience, determination, and the unwavering belief that even in the face of adversity, the pursuit of greatness is always worth it. Cheer her on as she competes for the University of Florida Gators this upcoming season—training starts in September and competitions begin in January. You can find her on Instagram @skyeblakely and on Twitter/X at @skyeblakely_.
Monica Wallis is an award-winning writer, witty headline fan, and founder of Copy That, full-service copywriting for brands in destination, food, beverage and beyond. A Frisco resident since 2018, she loves popping into all the coffee shops and restaurants Sports City USA has to offer—not to mention chasing its incredible sunsets, too. Follow along with Monica on Instagram @copythat_creative!
