Older gymnastics stars in Paris are thriving, refuting the long-held belief that only teenagers can excel in the sport
The second and last Olympics of Raisman’s career was Rio 2016 and it coincided with the emergence of Simone Biles.
As the oldest in the squad, Raisman’s age and maturity earned her the affectionate nickname “grandma” from Biles and their teammates.
Their triumph in the team competition meant Raisman was the oldest US gymnast to win Olympic gold in history. She was 22 years old.
After holding that record for eight years, Raisman was demoted from first to the fourth on the list on Tuesday.
This year’s US team includes three women over the age of 22: the 27-year-old Biles, the 24-year-old Jade Carey and the 23-year-old Jordan Chiles. With Sunisa Lee also 21 years old, four of the five members are over 20.