News release
Ten‑year‑old Geo Gan brought home bronze for Team USA in the inaugural Junior (U16) division at the World Yo‑Yo Contest 2025 in Prague.
Competing against 44 others, including teens up to six years older, the Santa Clarita 10‑year‑old delivered under pressure on the sport’s biggest stage, according to a news release from his family.
Earlier this summer, he captured the U.S. National Sport 1A (ages 10-12) title in Las Vegas (June 29).
“When they called my name, I felt surprised, excited, and proud,” Gan said in the release. “Right before I walked on, I was nervous enough to feel out of my body — but once the music hit, the fun took over.”
Sanctioned by the International Yo‑Yo Federation, the World Yo‑Yo Contest crowns champions across multiple divisions and rotates annually among Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The 2025 event ran Aug. 7-10 in Prague and introduced the Junior (U16) division to spotlight rising talent.
Gan’s path to Prague began with a souvenir wooden yo‑yo from a 2024 family trip. Only 16 months later, daily practice turned curiosity into consistency. He now trains about two to three hours a day, with a focus on clean execution and advanced slack elements like the 3.5-4.5 hook family. He credits mentors Hunter Feuerstein, Justin Dauer, Gentry Stein, and creator‑coach Brandon Vu for encouragement and example, the release said.
Compared with earlier generations who often learned in relative isolation, today’s players learn together in public, online — what many parents here call a small “singularity” for youth competition. “We trade tricks on IG Live and YouTube all year, then at contests we finally teach each other in person,” Gan said in the release. “It’s the best part.”
