Four years ago, 18-year-old Jewish gymnast Aly Raisman burst onto the Olympics scene in London, and into our hearts, with a floor routine set to “Hava Nagila.” She took home gold medals for that routine as well as one for the whole US women’s gymnastic team–and a bronze medal on the balance beam to boot.
Now at 22, the Needham, Massachusetts native is considered somewhat of an elder in the gymnastics world (oy) but her latest performance at the 2016 P&G Gymnastics Championships this past weekend proves that this girl has still got it, and seems well on her way to the Rio games later this summer.
Once again giving a nod to her Jewish heritage, Raisman took the floor and performed to a traditional Jewish folk song, and the results were just, well, let’s say I actually teared up. Multiple times. Watch here:
Raisman wound up placing second all-around at the P&G championship, trailing the frontrunner, Simone Biles, by just over two points. She recently told AP, “I think that I am better (than I was four years ago)… And I feel like I’m on track to be a better gymnast than I was.”
Raisman’s Olympic fate will be determined at the trials in San Jose on July 8 – 10, but no matter what happens, we should all be kvelling over this champ for a long time.
