DOHA: Reigning Olympic champion Laurie Hernandez hoped that the 2020 Tokyo Games postponement will help her prepare well for the competition next year.
The US artistic gymnast captivated the world at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio by winning two medals.
“It feels for me like I’m going to be a lot more prepared,” the 19-year-old told Olympic Channel’s on on Instagram. “It’s comforting, more time. It’s all anybody could really ask for, I think.”
A member of the ‘Final Five’ that captured Team USA’s third Olympic team gold in women’s gymnastics, Hernandez returned to training in late 2018, nearly a full year after her team-mate and four-time Olympic champion Simone Biles returned to action.
“I knew I was late,” Hernandez said. “We knew it was going to be a really short amount of time.”
Hernandez also said she always knew she wanted to make a comeback following a break after her Rio success.
“Of course, I want to go to the Olympics, but my love for the sport overpowered every aspect of it,” she added. “It was just exciting to go and throw these skills again.”
Hernandez moved from her native New Jersey to Southern California two years ago to begin training with Jenny Zhang and Howie Liang, who coached Kyla Ross to Olympic gold at London 2012.
With stay-at-home orders in place across the United States, Hernandez has returned to New Jersey and her family, and it’s given her unexpected time with loved ones as she continues work toward Tokyo 2020.
