Laurie Hernandez

Laurie Hernandez (born June 9, 2000) is an American Olympic gymnast, TV personality, and author. Read her biography, career highlights, challenges she’s faced, and her motivational quotes.

Introduction

Laurie Hernandez is a name that comes up when discussing gymnastics, perseverance, and youthful ambition. As a key member of the Team USA “Final Five” at the 2016 Rio Olympics, she won team gold and earned an individual silver on balance beam. Beyond her athletic achievements, she has also stepped into television, writing, and public speaking, making her a multifaceted figure of influence for younger generations.

Early Life and Background

Laurie Hernandez was born June 9, 2000, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, to parents Wanda and Anthony Hernandez.

Laurie first took ballet lessons at age four, but soon asked her parents to switch to gymnastics — she began training in gymnastics at about age five.

Gymnastics Career & Achievements

Junior to National Teams

Laurie joined the U.S. gymnastics national team in 2013.

In 2014, she missed much of the season due to injury, including a wrist fracture and knee problems.

Olympic Success & “Final Five”

In 2016, as a first-year senior gymnast, Laurie was selected for the U.S. Olympic women’s gymnastics team, which was nicknamed the “Final Five.”

At Rio 2016, the U.S. team won the team gold medal. silver medal on the balance beam.

She also contributed to U.S. victories in other competitions in 2016, such as the Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships.

Later Years & Retirement

After the Olympics, Laurie also appeared in Dancing With the Stars in 2016 (Season 23) and won the competition with partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy.

In late 2018, she returned to elite training with hopes of making another Olympic run, but injuries and competition challenges prevented her from qualifying for the Olympic Trials in 2021.

In June 2021, she officially retired from competitive gymnastics.

Personality, Beyond Gymnastics & Other Ventures

Laurie is known for her expressive face, warmth, and emotional transparency — she has sometimes been playfully called the “human emoji” because her emotions are often visible on her face.

She has also been outspoken about mental health. She has publicly discussed dealing with depression and ADHD, emphasizing that even those seen as successful face inner struggles.

In addition to sports and TV, Laurie is an author. She wrote I Got This: To Gold and Beyond, a memoir, and She’s Got This, a children’s book.

Laurie has also worked in media: she has served as a commentator and correspondent and taken on roles that go beyond athletics.

Famous & Inspiring Quotes

Here are some quotes and phrases attributed to Laurie Hernandez that reflect her mindset, motivations, and reflections:

• “The thing that makes me feel the most confident is definitely my smile. I like that my smile … really shows what I'm feeling.”

• “Everyone keeps asking me when I have time to rest … I’ll sleep through the whole flight.” (about trying to rest while having a busy schedule)

• “My athlete idol is Usain Bolt. He’s inhumanly fast!”

• “We’re all different, so even though someone is getting a skill before you, it doesn't mean that you're not good enough; it just means you have to wait a little bit, and the skill will come when it comes.”

• “I want to be a role model … inspire girls to work hard and go for their dreams and to never give up.”

• “No matter what race or color you are, you can aspire to do something great.”

• “The heels played a big role. For gymnastics you’re barefoot 100 percent of the time.”

These quotes show her emphasis on self-belief, patience, representation, and staying true to one’s path.

Lessons from Laurie Hernandez’s Journey

1. Resilience through setbacks. Laurie’s injuries could have sidelined her permanently, but she returned stronger.

2. Balance of ambition and humanity. She has allowed her vulnerability, mental health, and emotional life to be part of her public narrative, not hidden.

3. Representation matters. As a Latina gymnast succeeding on the international stage, she provides visibility and inspiration to underrepresented communities.

4. Hard work + timing. Her quote about skills coming when they come shows humility: progression isn't always fast or linear.

5. Multidimensional identity. Laurie proves that being an athlete doesn’t restrict you to one path: she writes, comments, joins TV shows, and speaks publicly.

Conclusion

Laurie Hernandez’s story is compelling not only because of Olympic medals but because of her heart, her struggles, and how she opens up about life beyond the podium. She continues to inspire through her words, her evolving career, and her example of courage.