Meet the USA Gymnastics Team Going to the Olympics
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The gymnastics events at the Paris Olympics are underway!
The men's competition begins today, July 27, and the women's competition starts tomorrow, July 28. The events will all be held in the Bercy Arena in Paris, and five men and five women will compete for Team USA. (There are two replacements for each team: Khoi Young and Shane Wiskus for the men, and Joscelyn Roberson and Leanne Wong for the women.) Here, meet are the ten U.S. men and women gymnasts competing in Paris this summer:
Simon Biles
Age: 27
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
One of the greatest athletes of all time, Simon Biles will be competing in her third Olympics this summer. At the 2016 Rio Games, she won four golds and a bronze, and at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, even after suffering from the “twisties,” she still won a silver and a bronze.
On serving as a mentor this Olympics to her younger, less experienced teammates, Biles has said, "I've been in their exact same spot, I know exactly how they're feeling and if I can be a mentor and a guide, then that's what I'm gonna do to lighten the load.”
Sunisa Lee
Age: 21
Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
Suni Lee competed in the Tokyo Olympics and won a gold medal for best all-around athlete at the time, in 2021. Last year, she began suffering from kidney ailments that hindered her ability to train. "My doctor was telling me he didn't think I would be able to do gymnastics competitively ever again," Lee said. This year, Lee has made a successful and inspiring recuperation. She won fourth place all-around at the national championships in June, and qualified for the Olympics.
Jordan Chiles
Age: 23
Hometown: Vancouver, Washington
Chiles, a 2021 Tokyo Olympic competitor, returns this year. Her motto is: "I'm that girl," and her energy backs it up. Chiles is a good friend and partner of Biles's—they train together at the same gymnastics club, and the two are often paired as the dynamic duo.
Jade Carey
Age: 24
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Club: Oregon State
Carey won gold on the floor exercise at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Ahead of Paris, she said, “I think this is probably the hardest it’s been in a really long time to even make the team. Winning team gold would mean a lot to us girls who do make the team, because we want to show that we’re stronger than we were before.”
Hezly Rivera
Age: 16
Hometown: Hackensack, New Jersey
Club: WOGA Gymnastics
Rivera impressed everyone by qualifying for the Olympics. The only 16-year-old this year and thus the youngest of the team, she got sixth in the all-around at the national championships. Paris will be her first international competition.
Frederick Richard
Age: 20
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Club: University of Michigan
Arguably one of Team USA's brightest young stars, Fred Richard automatically qualified for the Olympics after placing first in the trials. Last year, at just 19, he became the youngest American man to win a medal at the world championships, and since then, he has continued to prove himself. After his win, he told NBC, "Honestly, I think tonight was all about gratitude and gratefulness−just remembering my younger self and how proud he would be for me to be in this position today."
Brody Malone
Age: 24
Hometown: Johnson City, Tennessee
Club: EVO Gymnastics
At the national championships in May, Malone won his third U.S. title in four years, and qualified for the Olympics as an exceptionally well-rounded gymnast. This is his second time competing for the Olympic team.
Paul Juda
Age: 22
Hometown: Deerfield, Illinois
Club: University of Michigan
Juda, who competes at Michigan alongside Fred Richardson, is particularly good at pommel horse and floor exercise. The son of immigrants, Juda is proud to represent Team USA. "This is my heart and soul. This is my parent’s heart and soul," he said.
Asher Hong
Age: 20
Hometown: Plano, Texas
Last year, Hong was the U.S. national champion. At the U.S. team trials, Hong won the best score of trials on still rings and did very well on vault, securing his spot at the Paris Olympics. He also competes for Stanford University.
Stephen Nedoroscik
Age: 25
Hometown: Worcester, Massachusetts
Nedoroscik specializes in the pommel horse; he's won a world title and four national championships in the event. Notably, he competes in goggles (pictured).
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