Laurie Hernandez has sassed her way into our hearts — Getty Images
The US women’s gymnastics team is the overwhelming favorite to take home gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, and for good reason. The squad features Gabby Douglas, the defending individual all-around Olympic gold medalist, in addition to Simone Biles, the pint-sized three-time world all-around champion whose talent is so massive that some believe she will win five gold medals in Rio.
But with the qualifying round in the books and team finals on
Tuesday, the spotlight has expanded to include another
American—16-year-old Laurie Hernandez. Dubbed “Human Emoji” and “Baby Shakira” because
of her doe-eyed, expressive face and fierce competition
style, Hernandez’s performances are reliable crowd-pleasers,
particularly when she’s doing the beam or floor exercise.
During the Olympic qualifying round on Sunday, Hernandez put in a near-perfect performance on the beam that earned a second-place finish and new fans around the globe
During the Olympic qualifying round on Sunday, Hernandez put in a near-perfect performance on the beam that earned a second-place finish and new fans around the globe