At long last, the 2024 Olympic Games have arrived! One of the hottest and most talked about Olympics sports is women’s artistic gymnastics. Not only are audiences eager to watch the incredible flips and tricks, we can’t wait to see how many records Simone Biles will break this time.
Although Simone is currently the face of the women’s artistic gymnastics, there are four other incredible athletes on the U.S. team who will soon be joining her on the stage: Sunisa Lee, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles and Hezly Rivera.
Rivera is the youngest on the team at 16-years-old, which has previously been the most common age for female Olympic gymnasts. However, this year the majority of the team are college gymnasts. While it is not uncommon for Olympians to compete at the collegiate level, most have their Olympic experience at around 16 and then move on to a relatively leisurely college experience after retiring from elite gymnastics.
But not this team. These three gymnasts (Lee, Carey, and Chiles) have paused their collegiate careers to pursue their Olympic dreams. And while many of the skills that you see in the Olympics are competed at the college level, the routine length and difficulty are nowhere near Olympic level.
I am a former collegiate gymnast, where routines must meet minimum requirements but are kept as short as possible to avoid any additional deductions; there is no value in doing a longer routine. In the Olympics, however, routines are scored not only on execution, but also skill difficulty and number of combinations, which means routines are much longer and more complex.
This also means that over the past few years Lee, Carey and Chiles have been training multiple routines to maintain what is required of them for their college routines, while also maintaining their stamina and elite skills to ensure they were Olympic trials ready.
The gymnasts competing at the Olympic Games represent Auburn University, Oregon State University, and UCLA, respectively. It is worth noting that after the 2024 NCAA women’s gymnastics season, none of these schools ranked in the top 15 NCAA women’s gymnastics schools (according to roadtonationals.com). While the rankings can change dramatically from year to year, it shows that these gymnasts are maintaining their Olympic readiness, college-routines, and academics, all while enjoying a full college experience that is not solely centered on gymnastics.
Does this mean that “older” gymnasts, at the ripe age of 21 (Lee), 24 (Carey), and 23 (Chiles) can have it all? (Simone Biles is 27). We will soon see, but I believe this is a positive direction for the sport of gymnastics to be moving. These gymnasts are demonstrating that young athletes don’t have to give up everything to fulfill their dreams.
It is possible to make it to the Olympics while being a full-time student-athlete and enjoying college. It also means that after the bright lights and publicity of the Olympics end, they know what is next. They don’t have to wonder what their life will become (as many young Olympians feel) — they have chosen their majors and know what they are working towards, along with jumping right back in with their college teams.
In addition to having something to look forward to after the Olympics, it is positive that “older” gymnasts are taking full stage. They are showing the next generation that missing out on the Olympics at 16-years-old is not the end.
Having a range of experiences (from competing for more years) but also from competing in different environments and facing and overcoming “adult challenges” makes them better athletes overall. They have the life experience and confidence to handle the stress and pressure of millions of people watching their every move.
I am not comparing Olympic viewership to that of collegiate gymnastics, but some college teams have upwards of 15,000 people in the stands rooting for or against their school. This requires extreme focus and the ability to blur out distractions that younger athletes may not have faced.
Along with the millions of viewers all around the world, I can’t wait to see what these athletes bring to the floor, not only for themselves, their university and their country, but for what it means for the future of the sport.
They are the first to show that having life balance (along with balance on beam) and more life experience make for well-rounded and successful athletes. I know Team USA is going to bring everything they’ve got to the arena, and they bring a lot.
Konner is the author of “Perfect Balance: A Young Athlete’s Guide to the World of Gymnastics“ (VeloPress, Aug. 6, 2024).
