“I know I will never be on Simone’s level,” Dulcy Caylor admits with a slight laugh, fully aware of the towering legacy that Simone Biles has built in the sport. But that doesn’t mean she’s backing down. Training alongside Olympic and World Championship medalists every day at the World Champions Centre, the 16-year-old refuses to let the gap define her. Instead, she uses it as fuel.

At the 2024 Winter Cup in Louisville, Kentucky, Caylor proved her consistency by finishing fifth in the all-around and securing top-ten finishes on both the uneven bars and balance beam. On the international stage, she helped Team USA claim gold at the DTB Pokal Mixed Cup in Stuttgart, Germany, with a standout performance on vault.

Earlier in the year, she also made her mark at the Jesolo Trophy in Italy, playing a key role in the team’s third-place finish while earning top-ten individual placements in multiple events. But behind every great gymnast stands a team of coaches who push them to the next level.

Who are Dulcy Caylor’s coaches?

In 17-year-old Dulcy’s case, two of the most influential figures in her career have been Cecil and Laurent—coaches with a history of molding elite athletes. Known for their rigorous training methods and commitment to excellence, they have helped shape some of the sport’s biggest names. Dulcy Caylor’s transition to the senior level of gymnastics came with its fair share of challenges.

At the 2023 U.S. Championships, Dulcy faced huge challenges, which led to her failure in securing an invitation to attend the world selection camp. Despite the setback, Caylor sought guidance from World Champions Centre coach Cécile Landi to focus on her personal development.

Through their joint coaching positions, Cécile and Laurent Landi have played a significant role in developing 11 senior national team members who included Olympic and world champions Simone Biles and Madison Kocian. Gold medal winners for the world team Alyssa Baumann and Jordan Chiles were also there.

Who is Laurent Landi?

The Landis began their leadership of the women’s artistic gymnastics program at the World Champions Centre in 2017, which is Simone Biles’ training base. Through their athlete-centered values and encouraging teaching techniques, the coaches currently guide their gymnasts toward significant achievements in their sport. Alongside their leadership, athletes have won an Olympic team silver twice, taken home three World Championship titles, and achieved 12 Olympic and world individual medals.

Laurent led the USA gymnastics team in its appearance at the 2018 and 2019 World Championships as well as during the 2020 Olympics competition. Her development from junior to senior-level competitions was not straightforward because her previous fourth-place finish evolved into twentieth place.

Caylor found comfort in involving her coaches Cécile and Laurent Landi to gain perspective and rebuild. “Cécile and Laurent are very, like, let the athlete drive themselves,” Caylor explained to Olympics.com. “They’re not going to force somebody to do something that they don’t want to do. I think they could tell that I was really ready to do something different and just start working on as many upgrades as I could, changing how I worked.”

The Landis possess an inherent talent for determining the right time for body modifications, which explains their respected status as coaches. Training plans at their facility do not come from a top-down order. Through their leadership approach, the coaches develop self-assured yet autonomous gymnasts.

Where does Dulcy Caylor train?

Every day Dulcy Caylor enters the World Champions Center training facility where she witnesses the gymnastic talents of three world-class athletes: Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles and Melanie de Jesus dos Santos. This enables her to recognize the competitive environment yet she chooses to transform it into motivation.

She pushes herself to keep up, refusing to show fatigue when the gymnasts she admires keep going. “I need to show that I am also up there with them as close as I can.” Her mindset for success and the elite environment led naturally to relocating from North Carolina to Texas in her pursuit of dreams.

Dulcy Caylor shares, reflecting on the elite company she keeps at the World Champions Centre. “I love it because getting to see how Olympians train… they have done what my dream is and they help me all the time,” she said to Olympics.com. Training beside gymnastics legends has become more than motivation to the 16-year-old.

It gives her daily instructions on achieving the highest athletic capabilities. Caylor learns from greatness through guidance provided by Simone Biles as well as relaxed techniques shown by Jordan Chiles. Her choice to attend WCC in Texas involved more than coaching. Getting around the top performers helped her boost her own abilities through their collective impact on her training environment.