Aly Raisman: What to Know About the Olympic Gymnast

John Newby

11/17/2020 11:10 pm EST

Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman retired from competition prior to the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, stunning several fans. She had previously competed in Rio and London, leading many fans to believe that she would take the floor once again in Tokyo. However, Raisman walked away and began a new chapter in her life.

"A huge thank you to my fans - your support has meant everything to me," she said in her statement. "I am very lucky to have been able to do something I love for so many years & I'm excited for what's next! The past 10 years have been such a whirlwind that I haven't really processed all that has happened, and sometimes I wonder whether I ever will."

Since retiring, Raisman has spent time working in her garden, posting messages to inspire others and taking part in dog playdates with fellow animal lovers. She also wrote a popular book. Raisman has remained very busy since walking away from competition. Here is everything to know about the decorated athlete.

Early Success

According to Biography.com, Raisman began training shortly after learning to walk. She began working at the American Gymnastics Club in Massachusetts at the age of 10 and then began competing at an elite level at the age of 14. She came in 12th overall in the junior competition at the 2009 CoverGirl Classic but won the junior vault event at the American Classic. This early success set the stage for a long career in competitive gymnastics, as well as considerable dominance. Mere years later, Raisman competed at the Olympic Games.

2012 Olympics

Raisman made the U.S. Olympic women's gymnastics team in 2012 and partnered with Gabrielle Douglas, Kyla Ross, McKayla Maroney and Jordyn Wieber to form the "Fierce Five." This group won a team gold medal — the first since 1996 — while Raisman won an individual gold medal in a floor exercise event. She also won a bronze medal for the beam event. This Olympic performance made Raisman a household name and set up an appearance on Dancing With the Stars. She finished the popular competition show in fourth place overall.

Olympic Return

Following the gold medal-winning performances in 2012, Raisman began training for a return to the Olympics in 2016. She headed to the 2016 Games in Rio after making the United States Olympics team once again. She and Douglas also became the first American women gymnasts to return to the Olympics since Dominique Dawes and Amy Chow in 2000. Once again, the team won a gold medal. Raisman won the silver medal in the individual all-around competition while her teammate, Simone Biles, took home the gold.

USA Gymnastics

Since her retirement, Raisman has continued to fight to end abuse under the USA Gymnastics banner. Raisman was one of more than 100 gymnasts to accuse former team doctor Larry Nassar of sexual abuse, leading to his incarceration under a sentence of up to 175 years. She has since gone after the organization several times while saying that it was covering up key information. She has specifically mentioned former CEO Steve Penny, Nassar and other people that were involved in the sexual abuse over the years.

Golf

Since retiring from Olympic competition, Raisman has kept active in different ways. She continues to do yoga and provides workout tips for her followers on Instagram. She also recently went golfing. As she explained on social media, the outing wasn't perfect, but she "loved it." Raisman explained that she is about to take some golf lessons and truly improve her game. Will these lessons lead to her entering a celebrity tournament in the near future? Raisman did not provide this information, but some fans wanted to see it happen.

Gardening

As her Instagram profile shows, Raisman is very into gardening. This pursuit has provided her with a way to keep natural food on the table. The former Olympian has grown squash, zucchini and lemons among other items, and she has experimented with using the seeds to regrow the garden. Tending to the area also keeps her outside and enjoying the sunshine. Raisman has routinely talked about unplugging from her phone and spending time outside, and working in the garden is one way to achieve this goal on a regular basis.

Book

Raisman released an autobiography in 2017. Fierce: How Competing for Myself Changed Everything told the story of her journey to become a multi-gold medal-winning athlete, as well as the "toughest times" that she had to fight through. She detailed taking high school classes online while preparing for the Olympics but having to still head to campus for gym class. The book also addressed why it is important to speak up when "something makes you uncomfortable." She specifically mentioned the alleged sexual abuse that she endured, starting at the age of 15.

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