Leila takes flight!
Promising gymnast impresses at international tournament
The sport of gymnastics continues to rise in Jamaica with several major achievements on the global stage. Leila Bell exemplifies this growth and is looking to become the next history-maker for the island.
At just eight-years-old, Bell has already caught the eye of the gymnastics world with several honours locally and regionally.
Her journey started at age four when she decided to follow in the footsteps of her sister Victoria.
“My sister did [gymnastics] and I wanted to do it too. I fell in love with all the cool, fun tricks that you get to do and learn,” she said.
Just four years after enrolling in the Nishida’s Gymnastics Club, it’s more than paid off as Bell is a three-time national champion, most recently becoming the USAG Level 3 champion last December.
Her near-perfect scores in her routines with the bars, beam, vault, and floor have quickly made her one of the most impressive young gymnasts in the country.
So much so that judges at the 2023 Gasparilla Classics in Florida were blown away by her talent, which she says is her proudest moment to date.
“I did my vault, but you have to do it twice. I’m not sure which one they judged, but then I was walking back to my teammates and my coach. The judges called my coach and they said they’re going to give me a 10. And then he started throwing me up in the air and said, ‘Just look; just look at this scoreboard,’ and he waited until it came up and it was a 10,” Bell said.
She’s even managed to impress America’s seven-time gold medallist Simone Biles and Paris Olympics star Jordan Chiles after finishing first at the 2025 Biles Invitational in Houston, Texas, recently, beating 83 other athletes from around the world.
Despite her achievements in the gym, Bell also flies high in the classroom as she’s been a consistent honour roll student at Mona Preparatory, while also participating in track and field.
She’s had to make a number of tough decisions in her young gymnastics career but believes finding the right balance is important to her growth.
“Some of my biggest challenges are balancing all my activities, school work, and sometimes I have to miss fun things with my friends, like birthday parties and going to the movies,” said Bell.
“[But] greatness requires some sacrifice. I love gymnastics. My mom makes sure I have a lot of fun things for my family, friends.”
Like any sport, gymnastics is competitive, but Bell doesn’t pressure herself if things don’t go her way.
“I just stay focused on the next event and stay positive, and I can only control what I can control,” she said.
Toni-Ann Williams (2016) and Danusia Francis (2021) are the only two women to represent Jamaica at an Olympic Games. Bell says she’s not only looking to join her countrywomen in competing but wants to win a historic medal.
However, gymnastics isn’t the only thing she’s looking to have success in the future.
“My personal goal is just generally to excel at excellence and go all the way [in gymnastics] and be an engineer,” she said.
With all her achievements at a young age, Bell has some words of advice for those who want to do the same.
“Get coaches you trust, listen to your coaches, and take conditioning seriously. It helps with your skills. When your body or mind needs a break, take it. And rule number five at my gym, Nishidas: Have fun!”
