And so the games will begin. The week began as Sunday ended and from the Olympic trials emerged the U.S. gymnastics team and the five best competitors are now team members. And just like that they will be heading to Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Games.
There was applause and a few tears as coach Martha Karolyi announced the all-star dream team late Sunday night, which is a mixture of previous champions and new contenders.
Laurie Hernandez
The New Jersey native is the first Latina gymnast to head to the Olympics on the U.S. team since 2004. At 16, she’s also the youngest girl on the team. Her dance-heavy floor routines are a favorite among the crowds and have earned her the nickname “Baby Shakira” with her fans. Her strong performance during this weekend’s Olympic trials, paired with her Junior National Championship all-around gold win last year, has many hoping Hernandez will become the surprise star at the Rio Games.
Aly Raisman
At 22, Raisman is the oldest member to make the cut, earning her the nickname of “Grandma Aly” with her teammates. If she looks familiar, that’s because Raisman was the captain of the gymnastics team at the 2012 London Games, where she took home three medals and won over the audience with her floor routine to “Hava Nagila.” But it’s possible you might also know her from her stint onDancing With the Stars, where she finished in fourth place. Thankfully, her gymnastics performances earn far better scores.
Simone Biles
Known as “Supernova Simone,” the 19-year-old gymnast is the heavy favorite to win big at the Rio Olympics. At her young age, Biles has already been crowned world champion of the all-around competition for three years in the row and she’s also the first female gymnast ever to win 10 gold medals at the World Gymnastics Championships. The Rio Games will be her first Olympics, and we’re betting she’ll continue to make history there, too.
Gabby Douglas
We all know Douglas as the winner of the all-around title at the 2012 London Olympics. Since then, the pint-size gold-winning gymnast has gone on to have a varied career outside of the sport: She’s released a memoir, starred in a reality series, and even launched her own emoji. Four years after her big win in London, many question Douglas’s chance to repeat her success. But she is also known for pulling off stellar routines in all four disciplines when faced with such high-pressure stakes. Gabby’s performance was error free, darn near perfect . ..She slayed at the 2016 American Cup.
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