Catching up with Anna Glenn

Anna Glenn is a level 10 gymnast from Southeastern Gymnastics in Weddington, North Carolina. Born in Nanchang China, Anna and her twin sister Grace were adopted in 1999 and both started gymnastics shortly after. Ever since, the pair have been unstoppable. Often times they go head to head in competitions, battling it out for first place and they have even committed to the same college-UCLA! Anna is the 2012 JO National uneven bars champion (she also placed 2nd on beam) and a two time Nastia Liukin Cup qualifier! Last year she finished sixth all around and second on beam at the 2014 JO National Championships. So far this season, Anna has won the balance beam title as well as the all around at every competition she's competed in! Talk about impressive!

We caught up with Anna to talk about her goals for this season, UCLA, competing with her twin sister and more!

Photo belongs to Gym-Style.com

How did you get started in gymnastics?
I got started with gymnastics by going to a friends Olympiad. Instead of watching, I was jumping on the equipment and could not stay still. To control some of my energy, my parents decided to put me in gymnastics. Also, being born in China, my growth motor skills were delayed so I was put in gymnastics to help with that.

Have you been back to China to visit? 
My family and I went back in August of 2008, right before the Olympics.

What is like training and competing with your twin sister? 
Training and competing with my sister makes my life a lot easier. We are really close as we do everything together. We both are each others toughest competition and generally finish one and two at every meet, but we are both very supportive of each other.

You and your sister are both committed to UCLA for the 2016-2017 school year. Did you always plan to go to the same college? 
My sister and I knew we wanted to go to the same college from the start. We couldn't imagine being separated during such a big part of our lives. We were looking for the same opportunities and had the same expectations while looking at colleges.

What are you looking forward to most about competing in college gymnastics?
I am looking forward to the team aspect and making life long friendships. I'm also excited about competing on the west coast and enjoying sunny California!

Why did you choose UCLA?
I chose UCLA because I was really drawn to the campus, location, coaches and academic program. Both my sister and I were looking for a school that had both a great academic program as well as gymnastics program. We felt that UCLA was the best option for these criteria.

Many high profile athletes such as Simone Biles, Kyla Ross, and Madison Kocian are committed to UCLA. How exciting is that? 
I am super excited to compete with such high level athletes such as Simone, Kyla and Madison. I think that we all will become very close quickly,

What has been the proudest moment in your career so far? 
The proudest moment in my career was when I qualified to the Nastia Cup at the Greensboro Invitational. We competed on a podium and it was a super fun meet. I nailed my beam routine, which was my last event, and knew that I had won.

What is it like competing in the Nastia Cup and are you nervous to compete in such a big arena for this years cup?
Competing at the Nastia Cup is good competition for me. I like being in a competition where I really have to fight to win. I like competitions- the large stadium just pumps up my adrenaline.

Was there ever a point in your career where you considered trying for elite? 
After my first year of level 10, my coach, sister, and family discussed elite, but we never really wanted to do it in the first place. My sister and I thought it would be best to enjoy our high school career as a level 10 and save our bodies for collegiate gymnastics.

What are some of your goals- for this season and in the future? 
Some goals I have for the rest of the season are to do well at the Nastia Cup, stay consistent, qualify to regionals and nationals again, and do well at nationals. Some of my future goals are to stay healthy, win an NCAA title, and excel at UCLA.

Are you currently working on any upgrades? 
As far as upgrades, I'm not working on anything new currently. I usually start working on new skills after season. I'm just trying to stay safe with the skills I'm currently competing.



This routine won Anna the balance beam title at the 2014 Nastia Liukin Cup!