Aly Raisman earns her spot on US Olympic gymnastics team

Now at age-22 Raisman will be the oldest US gymnast on the women’s side since Mohini Bhardwaj (25) and Annia Hatch (26) in 2004. She’s been world champion three years in a row (and is, according to the Huffington Post, the first American woman to do that in 42 years), and has won world championship medals 14 medals total. She’s the first reigning champion in the all-around category since 1980 to go back to the Olympics following her win.

The darling of the London Olympics, Douglas failed to recapture the old magic but Karolyi kept the faith believing the 20-year-old’s reputation as a clutch performer will shine through in Rio.

Here are five facts to know about the women who made it to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Gymnastics Team.

Biles will be joined in Rio de Janeiro by Douglas, three-time Olympic medalist Aly Raisman, Madison Kocian and Laurie Hernandez. MyKayla Skinner, Ragan Smith and Ashton Locklear were selected as alternates. As NBC reports, “International Gymnast Magazine called Hernandez the “Human emoji” and gymnastics podcast Gymcastic nicknamed her “baby Shakira”.

In 2012, Hernandez was barely 12 years old when she caught the attention of gymnastics fans at the Secret U.S. Classic, a qualifier for the National Championships with this floor routine. She finished 2.1 points ahead of the second-place finisher in the all-around.

Those performances highlighted her capabilities, and importantly her world championships silver medal came just weeks after she finished fourth in her first national championships since 2012. But you could make a case that it’s more fair than the selection process for the USA Gymnastics Olympic team. Kocian also gives the USA some more depth on other events should the team need it. She can compete all-around, though will likely only be needed to bars in the team final. “[National team coordinator Martha Karolyi] said we have to look happy because last time me and Gabby looked so sad when we went out there, so I tried to really take it in”.

To be sure, that has been clearer than even the line-up of this team.

Douglas blew into each hand before grabbing the wood to begin a routine that could determine her chances of reaching the Rio Games.

“She’s the best in the world and she will be the best gymnast that has ever lived in my opinion”, said Nastia Luikin, the 2008 Olympic all-around gold medallist.

Both Kocian and Locklear are considered specialists in the uneven bars.

QUALIFICATION ALERT: Jenn Suhr will get to defend her Olympic gold medal in the pole vault after winning the event at the U.S. Track and Field Trials.

We wish all the members of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Gymnastics Team all the very best. Aly Raisman after another solid night was also named to the team as expected. Biles ended up winning the trials despite falling off the beam. Her strengths are vault and floor: She’s a tumbling machine.

Three could do the all-around in qualifying (but only two if Douglas and Madison Kocian do uneven bars).

We can’t wait to see this crew perform in Rio.

“Just when we thought we were at the physical limit of the sport, then here comes Simone Biles”, Retton said per ESPN.