Laurie Hernandez Journey in Gymnastics Share:







Lauren Hernandez is Just a 16 years old an American artistic gymnast. She is a member of the United States women’s gymnastics team for the 2016. Hernandez’s elite career started in 2012 at the U.S. Classic, where she placed 11th in the junior partition at the age of 12. Through the Classic, she qualified to the National championship in St. Louis, where she placed 21st after two days of competition.

Hernandez made her superior debut in 2016. In March, she competed at the City of Jesolo Trophy in Jesolo, Italy, earning the bronze medal in the all-around with a score of 58.550, behind two U.S. teammates, fellow first-year senior Ragan Smith and Gabby Douglas, the 2012 Olympic all-around champion. She also earned a silver medal on vault and a gold medal on balance beam, ahead of Smith and 2012 Olympian Aly Raisman.

In April, Hernandez competed at the Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships in Everett, Washington, along with Raisman, Smith, three-time world all-around champion Simone Biles, and 2015 World Championships team member Brenna Dowell. She contributed an all-around score of 59.800 toward the American team’s first-place finish and placed third individually, behind Biles and Raisman, but did not earn the all-around bronze medal because of a rule limiting medals to two gymnasts per country.

Gymnastics at the Rio Olympics

Laurie Hernandez seemed in a good position to compete for an Olympic all-around spot after trials, but an injury played at least some role in her not getting the opportunity here on Sunday.

National team coordinator Martha Karolyi said Hernandez had a pulled an abdominal muscle and wasn’t able to train uneven bars consistently enough.

The decision on which American would be the third all-arounder to compete for the two spots they could earn in the final came down to Hernandez and Aly Raisman.

“Always we have to take tough decisions, unfortunately,” said Karolyi. “If I looked at the two girls, Aly showed more difficulty in her gymnastics and she was in her very best shape.

“It came down to that event.”

Hernandez finished third at nationals and second at trials in making the Olympic team in her first year as a senior. Raisman, meanwhile, is in a second Olympic all-around final after finishing second at nationals and third at trials.

At the Rio Olympic Arena on Sunday, she edged out Gabby Douglas for the second spot. Simone Biles, as expected, was the top qualifier.

“Aly deserved that fully, and I knew that at the end of the first week of the training camp when we get together. Her confidence level grew,” said Karolyi. “She just showed every single workout very good gymnastics and very consistent work.