Back to the Olympics Newsfeed

Opinion: Laurie Hernandez accomplishes what she wanted in first meet since Rio Olympics

INDIANAPOLIS – The smile said it all.

Laurie Hernandez had just finished her first competition since the Rio Olympics, and she couldn’t have been happier. It wasn’t perfect, and she knows she’ll need more difficulty to keep pace in what will be a fierce fight for a spot on the Olympic team.

But she’s back and she had a blast. As Hernandez talked with coach Jenny Zhang, her smile was so big not even her mask could hide it.

“It was terrifying to initially go back out there,” the Olympic gold and silver medalist said after doing two events at Saturday’s Winter Cup meet.