After taking two years away from gymnastics, Olympic gold- and silver-medalist Laurie Hernandez says she’s now preparing for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. “It was time I needed, mentally and physically, away from gymnastics to figure out who I was outside of gymnastics. But I loved it so much I ended up coming back,” Hernandez told Cheddar. In her years off, she won season 23 of Dancing with the Stars, and published two books. “Training for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is something I very much still have my eyes set on. And it’s something that I’m really looking forward to. And then hopefully — and willingly — acting.” While competing in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Hernandez attracted a loyal fan base, both as an individual and as part of the American women’s gymnastics team, nicknamed the ‘Final Five.’ In Brazil, the U.S. won gold for the team gymnastics event. Hernandez also won silver on the balance beam. “Mentally, now I have this expectation and this set bar,” she says. Hernandez is currently promoting a campaign with the eye care company Alcon.
