With the start of the 2016 Olympics less than 10 days away, the United States women’s artistic gymnastics team is ready to dominate the competition. The awareness of women’s sports is at an all-time high and we are witnessing the most diverse U.S. artistic gymnastics team in history. The team roster includes African-American athletes Simone Biles and Gabby Douglas, and Latina gymnast Laurie Hernandez. It is important to not only note the team diversity in race, but also in age; Aly Raisman will be 22 years old during the competition and she is breaking the previous notion that gymnastics is a sport where one can only excel at a young age. The U.S. artistic gymnastics team consists of Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez, Madison Kocian and Aly Raisman. The three alternates are MyKayla Skinner, Ragan Smith and Ashton Locklear.
Simone Biles
Simone Biles, from Columbus, Ohio, is the most decorated American female gymnast in World Championships history. She is the first woman to win three consecutive world all-around titles, and the first African-American to be world all-around champion. She is considered the heavy favorite in Rio in the individual and all-around competitions.
Gabrielle Douglas
Gabby Douglas, from Virginia Beach, Virginia, is the first African-American woman in Olympic history to become the individual all-around champion, and the first American artistic gymnast to win gold in both the individual all-around and team competitions at the same Olympics (2012). She is also the only American all-around champion to win multiple gold medals in a single Olympic Games. Douglas is the first female reigning Olympic all-around champion to return to the World Championships and medal in the all-around, since Elena Davydova in 1981. Her best events include the balance beam and the uneven bars.
Aly Raisman
Alexandra Raisman from Needham, Massachusetts, was the captain of the United States women's artistic gymnastics team at the 2012 Summer Olympics, where she won gold medals in the team and floor competitions, as well as a bronze medal on the balance beam. She was the most decorated American gymnast at the 2012 Games, and was also a member of the gold-winning American teams at the 2011 and 2015 World Championships. Raisman has been honored as captain for the U.S. women's team for the 2016 Summer Olympics, and is the oldest American gymnast to compete at the Olympics since Annia Hatch in 2004. Although she is strong in all events, she is most accomplished in the beam and the floor.
Laurie Hernandez
Hernandez, from New Brunswick, New Jersey, will represent the United States in Rio. With Puerto-Rican roots, it's the first time in 30 years that a U.S.-born Latina will compete for the U.S. Olympic artistic gymnastics team. After fracturing her wrist and dislocating her kneecap in 2014, Hernandez went on to be the 2015 National All-Around Champion. Although she is strong in all concentrations, her favorite event is the floor.
Madison Kocian
Kocian, from Dallas, Texas, is a 2015 World Champion on uneven bars and a two-time World Championships team member. She started training at the World Olympics Gymnastics Academy (WOGA), alongside Carly Patterson and Nastia Liukin -- two of the four U.S. female gymnasts to win Olympic all-around golds. Roughly four months before the Olympic Trials, Kocian fractured her tibia bone. It was six weeks before she was able to walk normally again. She won bars with a 15.9 at the 2016 Olympic Trials and is a favorite to medal in uneven bars in Rio.
With breathtaking routines and talent, team USA is set for success in Rio. Congratulations to these women; their grit and heart for the sport will not go unnoticed.
