Towards the end of a delightful press conference after the United States’s triumph in the gymnastics team final on Tuesday night, a familiar face took the microphone and asked the winners a question. The surprise inquisitor was Aly Raisman, a three-time Olympic gold medallist, one of the greatest US gymnasts of all time.
The second and last Olympics of Raisman’s career was Rio 2016 and it coincided with the emergence of Simone Biles. As the oldest in the squad, Raisman’s age and maturity earned her the affectionate nickname “grandma” from Biles and their teammates. Their triumph in the team competition meant Raisman was the oldest US gymnast to win Olympic gold in history. She was 22 years old.
