Cecile Canqueteau-Landi poses with bronze medalist Simone Biles and husband and co-coach Laurent Landi. GETTY IMAGES

Cécile Canqueteau-Landi, the longtime personal coach of Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles, has been named co-head coach of the University of Georgia gymnastics program. She joins Ryan Roberts, who has been the Georgia GymDogs assistant coach since 2022.

The appointment was made official last Thursday by J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics, Josh Brooks. In a press release on the Georgia Dogs official website, Brooks calls Canqueteau-Landi and Ryan two of the most accomplished coaches in the sport. 

“The combination of their leadership and experiences will give us one the most dynamic coaching staffs in the country," Brooks said. "Both coaches have developed and mentored the very best gymnasts in the world, and I know our current and future student-athletes will be excited to learn from two of the best coaches in the country.”


Former Olympic gymnast Canqueteau-Landi, a native of France, heads the elite programme at World Champions Centre in Houston with her husband Laurent Landi. The pair began coaching gymnastics star Simone Biles in late 2017, helping her to three world all-around titles and a pair of medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. They are currently preparing for another shot at the U.S. Olympic team this summer in Paris.

Known for her elite-level coaching, Canqueteau-Landi has also worked with Olympic medalists Jordan Chiles and Madison Kocian. 


Canqueteau-Landi with elite gymnast Jordan Chiles during the uneven bar finals at the Pan Am Games 2023. GETTY IMAGES
Canqueteau-Landi with elite gymnast Jordan Chiles during the uneven bar finals at the Pan Am Games 2023. GETTY IMAGES


"Throughout my life, gymnastics has provided me some extraordinary opportunities, from traveling the world and competing for my country at the Olympics to coaching amazing athletes at the highest level … those experiences have helped me become the coach that I am while putting athlete's well-being first and helping them reach their full potential. I am thrilled for the opportunity to be the new co-head coach of the GymDogs with Ryan.” Canqueteau-Landi responds to her appointment. 

Her co-coach’s gymnastics career also began as an athlete, with the University of New Mexico and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where he would become a two-time NCAA qualifier. After university, Roberts did a four-year stint in the United States Marine Corps before rejoining his old coach from New Mexico, who offered him a coaching job at West Coast Elite in California.

Roberts later moved to Norway with his wife, where he furthered his coaching career and served as the Norwegian National Team head coach for numerous international competitions including European Championships, World Cups, Northern European Championships and Nordic Championships.

Back stateside, Roberts coached for the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy before moving on to the University of Alabama and finally, the University of Georgia. 

"I'm beyond grateful for this opportunity," Roberts said with pride. 

“Thank you to the amazing GymDogs who put the work in every day. We have put our heart and soul into each other the past couple years and are on the cusp of some great things … I give my word to the team, Cecile, the parents, the commits, and the administration that every decision made will be for the betterment of every student athlete on this team. We will represent the G with pride!  Go Dogs!"