Cecile Landi is in it for the long haul, courtesy of Georgia University. Former Olympian gymnast and WCC program director Cecile Landi is making a tonal shift to Georgia University this year. The unexpected news came earlier this year when Georgia University broke the news over their social media. However, Landi has been candid about her decision being a challenging one. Especially where her home life is concerned with her husband Laurent Landi, and daughter. While in Georgia, she has a major pay bump as compared to WCC, there’s one aspect of her personal life that she grappled with of late, something that may be a cause of worry.

In Georgia, she will be co-head coach alongside Ryan Roberts of their GymDogs program. The remuneration is also handsome, standing at nearly $340,000. Despite a significant financial gain, her family troubles have come to light, shedding a different light on her journey. Cecile Landi emphasized that joining the Georgia gymnastics team was a decision made with her family’s best interests in mind. With this great power comes great responsibility, so how will Landi be navigating the challenges she confronts before her?

Cecile Landi reveals how Georgia University came with a bone of contention 

Recently, L’Equipe released an article featuring Cecile Landi, discussing her move to the University of Georgia. Landi expressed how her decision was tough not only because of the challenge of joining a new staff team, but also on a personal level. She said, “For Juliette, it wasn’t easy…” Juliette Landi is Laurent and Cecile Landi’s daughter. The 17-year-old is a member of the French diving team and is currently finishing up high school. In the upcoming academic year, she is signed up with Auburn University and will join them in June 2025. Additionally, she added, “A club in Athens, which is only a three-hour drive from Auburn, is ready to welcome her [Juliette] when she comes to see me. It’s not perfect but..”

Ultimately, when Juliette makes it to Auburn, she will be closer to Athens, Georgia where Cecile will reside. In another interview with the All Things Gymnastics on Spotify, she said, initially when Ryan Roberts reached out to her for the post, she did not immediately say yes. She told Roberts, “You know my daughter Juliette has one year of high school left,” adding “No I can’t do this now.” Now, this offer from Georgia University might have been too good to pass up on, but it seems like Landi has vested interests in both her family and her coaching role simultaneously. However, after having a chat with the AD who told her she might regret passing up the opportunity, Landi spoke to her daughter and though it was “not ideal”, they could work out the details.

The hardest sacrifice has probably been living away from her husband and WCC women’s team director Laurent Landi. In 2017, the pair moved from the World Olympics Gymnastics Academy to Simone Biles’ World Champions Centre in Texas together. Laurent will be withholding his post for another year as their daughter finishes school. Then he will make the move to join Cecile in Athens and decide the course of his career from there. When asked on Twitter whether all is well with her husband, Cecile quickly wrote, “We are good! It was a family decision, not an easy one but one that we all agreed on and are ready to take on!” Though it is a big change, the couple are taking it one step at a time. Baby steps, as they say. We’d be remiss if we didn’t point out her role at WCC, now, wouldn’t we?

Her departure from WCC will leave behind a lacuna

Cecile Landi has been coaching several star female athletes as part of the WCC roster. The list includes Olympian Simone Biles along with Jordan Chiles and Melanie Santos to name a few. Her move to Georgia will require Landi to part ways with her position and role at WCC. Her absence will definitely be felt as she left an “indelible mark” on the gym, according to Biles’ mother Nellie Biles. Nellie further added, “her legacy will forever shape the foundation of the World Champions Centre”. However, Landi is looking forward to creating a new legacy for the GymDogs. 

Moreover, Landi’s transition will be a deciding factor in her relationship with Simone Biles, who has trained under Landi for nearly a decade. The duo has won several Olympics and Worlds awards and are a successful team. They also appear often on each other’s social media. Recently, Landi also posted a picture of the WCC female gymnastics team undergoing podium training. Additionally, Cecile will remain Biles’ coach till the Paris Olympics this year. The pair are focusing on Biles’ training at the moment which, if her recent win at the Core Hydration Classics is any indication, is going spectacularly. As Simone gears up for the Xfinity games and the US Olympic trials, Cecile Landi is sure to stay beside her in utmost solidarity.