Defying Gravity: The Untold Story of Women’s Gymnastics

Battered by scandals since the 2016 Rio Games, U.S. gymnastics has implemented many changes to the way Olympic hopefuls are nurtured and mentored. For Laurie Hernandez, the biggest transformation has come from within as she bids to secure a spot on the Tokyo Olympic team.

The youngest woman on the entire 2016 U.S. Olympic team, the road to Rio was a dark and lonely one for the then 16-year-old who endured verbal abuse and body shaming on way to helping the United States to the team gold.



Later Hernandez would go public with her pain and accused former coach Maggie Haney, who began working with her when she was just five years old, of verbal and emotional pummeling that left her battling eating disorders and depression.

Following an investigation by USA Gymnastics, Haney was last April banned from coaching for eight years but later had the suspension reduced to five.

Older, wiser and with new coaches in her corner, the journey to Tokyo has been a far more enjoyable one for the 21-year-old Hernandez.

"At 16 I was kind of like an eager puppy, just tell me what to do and I'd do it," Hernandez told Reuters. "If you said, alright do a jump, a full turn and then land right on your head I would say, 'ok let's see how we get this done'.

"Now I am more in tune with my body and understanding what I need and able to feel when my brain or body is red flagging me to take a break."

Pushed to breaking point both physically and mentally in the run up to Rio, Hernandez was goaded into training through injuries and did so without resistance for fear of incurring Haney's profanity laced wrath.

Under Jenny Zhang and Howie Liang, her new mentors, Hernandez is guided and not prodded. She also has input into her training and day-to-day regime.

She has also drawn on the strength of her mother, who helped to expose Haney's abuse, while being inspired by her father, who lives with diabetes.