Excitement for Team USA gymnastics felt in gyms in the Capital Region
When Team USA women’s gymnastics reclaimed the team gold Tuesday and the men medaled for the first time in years on Monday, excitement reverberated from Paris to gyms in the Capital Region.
The women and men of Team USA are providing inspiration for gymnasts at World Class Gymnastics Academy in Latham.
“We always gather ’round and have it on all the time,” said gymnast and rising high school senior Shyann Bootman.
“I like how some of them have challenges, but then they take a deep breath, and then they continue on like nothing happened,” 10-year-old gymnast Adalynn Dame said.
Gymnasts can begin training at World Class Gymnastics as soon as they can walk — many with the goal of making it to a college team.
“It’s very inspirational for them, and then they also want to grow, do better gymnastics,” said Jennifer O’Hara, who has coached at the gym for about 15 years.
O’Hara said it was all the more exciting to watch this Olympics and be a gymnast today. In the wake of scandal, changes at the top of USA Gymnastics and on down have been putting the focus on gymnasts’ mental and physical health, she said.
“I see it in clubs, you see it when you go to meets, you see it on TV when you watch them, you see it in college, everybody is much more supportive, everybody is trying for the goal of your best and being healthy while you do it,” she said, explaining that athletes at World Class receive support from nutritionists and medical professionals.
She said when the Olympics are on, the gym tends to see a spike in people interested in starting up the sport. Gymnasts said it puts a spotlight on the toughness of the sport.
“Everyone knows Simone Biles, so then more people watch, and they see kind of what we go through and all the events, and I definitely get a lot of questions during this time,” said Bootman.
Thursday, Biles and Suni Lee will compete in the women’s individual all-around final — the first time two reigning gold medalists will try to defend their titles in the event.
Local gymnasts will be watching.
“I really want Suni to win. I love Simone Biles, but I want Suni to win because she’s gone through so many challenges, and I think it would just be nice for her to win,” Dame said.
The women’s all-around final begins at 12:15 p.m. ET Thursday on NewsChannel 13.