Alex Diab
Full nameAlexander Michael Diab
Country represented United States
Born (1997-04-25) April 25, 1997
Hinsdale, Illinois, USA
ResidenceBradenton, Florida
DisciplineMen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior Elite
Years on national team2021–present (USA)
ClubEVO Gymnastics
College teamIllinois (2016–2019)
Head coach(es)Syque Caesar
Medal record
Representing the Illinois Fighting Illini
NCAA Championships
Gold medal – first place2018 ChicagoStill rings
Gold medal – first place2019 ChampaignStill rings
Bronze medal – third place2017 West PointTeam
Bronze medal – third place2018 ChicagoTeam

Alexander Michael Diab (born April 25, 1997) is an American artistic gymnast. He is a still rings specialist and is a member of the United States men's national gymnastics team. He was an alternate for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Diab was a member of Illinois Fighting Illini men's gymnastics team from 2016 to 2019, where he won 44 career event titles, and set a program record with 31 career still rings titles. He also is a two time NCAA National Champion on still rings, and a six-time NCAA All-American.

Personal life

Diab was born in Hinsdale, Illinois to Mark and Jennifer Diab. His father Mark was an Iowa State gymnast from 1981 to 1986 and was the Male Athlete of the Year in 1986. He attended Glenbard West High School.[1] He also has a sister, Maddie Diab, who also competes for Iowa State.

Gymnastics career

Senior

2016–17

Diab began competing for the Illinois Fighting Illini men's gymnastics in 2016. During his freshman year he won the still rings title at the 2016 Big Ten Championships, with a score of 15.125. That was his eighth event title he won during the season, tying for second-most on the team. He also earned All-America honors on high bar at the NCAA Championships, finishing fifth on high bar with a score of 14.900. Following the season he was named Fighting Illini Newcomer of the Year.[2]

During his sophomore year, he won his second-straight Big Ten still rings event title, with a score of 14.875.[3] He was NCAA All-American on still rings, earning a score of 14.650 for seventh place overall at the NCAA Championships.[4] In August 2017, he competed at the 2017 World University Games.[5]

2018

In February 2018, he competed at the 2018 Winter Cup, where he posted a combined score of 28.550 on still rings and won silver.[6]

During his junior year in April 2018, he competed at the NCAA Championships, where he posted a score of 14.500 on still rings and won gold and helped his team win bronze at the event. The win marked his 10th rings title during the season, which is the most in a season in program history.[7]

In August 2018, he competed at the 2018 U.S. National Gymnastics Championships, where he posted a score of 14.500 on still rings on day one, and 14.450 on day two, for a combined score of 28.950, and won silver.[8]

2019

In February 2019, he competed at the 2019 Winter Cup, where he posted a score of 14.550 on still rings during the preliminary round, and 14.600 to finish with a two-day total of 29.150 and won silver on the event. He also placed 10th on both floor and vault, finishing with scores of 27.250 and 28.350, respectively.[9]

On March 2, 2019, Diab set a career-best and Illinois program record score of 15.200 on rings. He was subsequently named Big Ten Gymnast of the Week.[10] During his senior year in April 2019, he competed at the NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships, where he won his second straight national championship on still rings with a score of 14.733, becoming the first gymnast in program history to win two national titles on the event. Diab finished his Illinois career as a six-time NCAA All-American, a four-time Big Ten still rings champion, a two-time still rings national champion, the school's all-time leader with 31 titles on still rings.[11] Following the season, he was named a finalist for the Nissen Award and 2019 CGA Specialist of the Year.[12][13]

In August 2019, he competed at the 2019 U.S. National Gymnastics Championships, where he finished with a two-day total of 29.350 and won gold on still rings.[14]

2020–21

In February 2020, he competed at the 2020 Winter Cup, where he posted a score of 14.600 on still rings in the preliminary round, and scored a 14.850 to finish with a two-day total of 29.450 to win gold on the event. He also competed on floor exercise, vault and high bar, placing within the top-20 on each apparatus.[15]

In February 2021, he competed at the 2021 Winter Cup, where he won gold on still rings.[16][17] In June 2021, he competed at the 2021 U.S. National Gymnastics Championships, where he won gold on still rings with a score of 14.950. As a result, he qualified to compete at the Olympic trials and was named to the United States men's national gymnastics team.[18][19] At the Olympic trials, he posted scores of 14.500 and 14.900 (29.400) and finished in first on still rings. He was subsequently named an alternate for team USA at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[20][21]

Competitive history

Year Event Team AA FX PH SR VT PB HB
2012J.O. National Championships (JE14-15)72nd place, silver medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
2013U.S. National Championships (Junior)1210183rd place, bronze medalist(s)4174
2014J.O. National Championships (L10 JE16)62nd place, silver medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)
U.S. National Championships2916308193429
2015Winter Cup143313283416
J.O. National Championships (JE17)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)6141st place, gold medalist(s)10114
2016Winter Cup8
NCAA Championships4105
U.S. National Championships33173514383334
2017Winter Cup6
NCAA Championships3rd place, bronze medalist(s)7
Universiade7533511145571
2018Winter Cup2nd place, silver medalist(s)
NCAA Championships3rd place, bronze medalist(s)71st place, gold medalist(s)
U.S. National Championships292nd place, silver medalist(s)2931
2019Winter Cup2nd place, silver medalist(s)
NCAA Championships571st place, gold medalist(s)1110
Universiade67
U.S. National Championships25141st place, gold medalist(s)1214
2020Winter Cup1st place, gold medalist(s)
2021Winter Cup1st place, gold medalist(s)
U.S. National Championships1st place, gold medalist(s)
Olympic Trials1st place, gold medalist(s)
2022Winter Cup1st place, gold medalist(s)
Cairo World Cup6
Baku World Cup5
U.S. National Championships222nd place, silver medalist(s)
2023Winter Cup1st place, gold medalist(s)
U.S. National Championships3rd place, bronze medalist(s)

References

  1. ↑ "Alex Diab". fightingillini.com. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Poulter, Diab Named Fighting Illini Newcomers of the Year". fightingillini.com. June 15, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Illini Win Three Big Ten Event Titles". fightingillini.com. April 8, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Illini Finish in Third Place at NCAA Championships". fightingillini.com. June 15, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Diab Selected to Compete at 2017 World University Games". fightingillini.com. April 27, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Still Rings Title for Diab at Winter Cup". fightingillini.com. February 17, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Diab Wins Rings Title, Illini Place Third at NCAA Championships". fightingillini.com. April 21, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Illini Gymnasts Come up Big at U.S. Championships". fightingillini.com. August 18, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Illini Gymnasts Impress at Winter Cup Challenge". fightingillini.com. February 17, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Illinois and Nebraska Earn Weekly Men's Gymnastics Awards". BigTen.org. March 5, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Diab Claims Second-Straight Still Rings National Title". fightingillini.com. April 20, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Diab Named Nissen-Emery Award Finalist". fightingillini.com. March 8, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Alex Diab Named CGA Specialist of the Year". fightingillini.com. April 18, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Illini Gymnasts Wrap Up Competition at 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships". fightingillini.com. August 12, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Diab Impresses at Winter Cup Challenge". fightingillini.com. February 23, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Fletcher, Diab To Compete at Winter Cup". fightingillini.com. February 26, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Diab, Fletcher Finish Winter Cup Strong". fightingillini.com. February 28, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  18. ↑ "USA Gymnastics names eight additional athletes to Men's Junior and Senior National Teams, introduces inaugural Senior Development Team lineup". usagym.org. June 8, 2021. Archived from the original on January 19, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Diab Qualifies for Olympic Team Trials". fightingillini.com. June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Diab Selected as Alternate for Team USA". fightingillini.com. June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  21. ↑ Zimmerman, Bradley (June 26, 2021). "Diab named an alternate for Team USA". The Daily Illini. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
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