STANFORD, Calif. – The Stanford women's gymnastics program announced the addition of three student-athletes to National Letters of Intent, head coach Tabitha Yim revealed on Wednesday. They are Irina Alexeeva from Plano Texas, Sze En Tan from Winfield, Illinois, and Amanda Zeng from Sammamish, Washington.
"We are thrilled to welcome these student-athletes and their families to The Farm," Yim said. "These are exceptional young women who bring international experience, explosiveness, power, elegance and artistry. We have been impressed with their courage, resilience and dedication to the process, and know they will make outstanding contributions to our team and the Stanford community.
Alexeeva was a member of the second-place team at the 2018 World Championship and finished 13th in all-around. She also competed on the winning squad at the 2018 European Team Championship. At the 2018 International Gymnix Senior International, Alexeeva placed first on the uneven bars and floor and third in all-around. She also claimed second on the uneven bars and seventh in all-around at the 2018 Russian Championship.
"Ira brings international experience and flair," said Yim. "She is known for her unique combination of artistry and power and is a strong competitor on all four events. Her bars are among the best in the world, combining exquisite lines and presentation, making her a standout among other gymnasts. Her personality and character will be tremendous assets to our team."
Tan was the 2019 Singapore national champion and participated in the World Championships. She will represent Singapore at the Tokyo Olympics.
"Sze En is a seasoned competitor with a breadth of experience on the world stage," Yim said. "She deferred her enrollment to train for the Olympics and will represent Singapore in Tokyo next summer. Sze En has beautiful lines and a special performance quality that will be rewarded at the collegiate level. She continues to develop as an athlete and competitor, and her presence will be a huge addition to our program."
Zeng was a four-time Junior Olympic national qualifier and finished ninth on the uneven bars at the 2019 Junior Olympics. She also captured first in all-around and vault and third on the uneven bars at the 2019 Region 2 Championship, and third in all-around and floor exercise at the Washington State Championship. In 2018, Zeng earned fifth on the uneven bars at the Junior Olympic National Championship, and first in vault, second on bars and third in all-around and floor exercise at the Region 2 Championship. She also collected first on vault and the uneven bars and second in all-around at the Washington State Championship.
"Amanda is an excellent competitor and a powerful athlete on bars and floor," Yim said. "A charismatic performer, she is explosive and exciting to watch. Combined with her dynamic personality and positive energy, Amanda has incredible potential to grow and succeed at Stanford."