Raisman Returns! - The 2012 Olympic champ talks London, comeback and more

2012 Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman reflects on the 2012 Olympic Games as well as looks ahead to the future as she tries to make back-to-back Olympic teams.

[@markbrown5117]

Man, her parents did an excellent job raising her. So smart and so humble.

[@SarahSchneider2]

I hope Aly Raisman makes it on to the Olympic team again for 2016. She did great in 2012.

[@Faithtrusts]

I love the fact that she is so humble. She works incredibly hard and lets her gymnastics do the talking. Unlike other gymnasts whose mouths write a check that their gymnastics can't cash. I am pulling for her on the 2016 team in Rio.

[@frafra9654]

I would say "comeback queen"!! And now,she had her redemption with her silver medal in AA!!😍

[@iluvdance00]

And look at that! Aly's going to Rio!! I'm so excited for her- she's worked so incredibly hard and she deserves it all

[@withlove312]

Mihai is absolutely right: even if it's just being a team player, that should be considered a big success. Same is true with Gabby.

[@melhudson1703]

exactly, all this talk about they won't be able to beat Simone needs to stop. I think their biggest goal is making it to another Olympics rather than beating out any gymnast in particular.

[@carolineblueskies]

I'm so frickin happy to see her back and training so well! I think the girls from 2012 learned a lot from the mistakes of Nastia and Shawn, taking so much time off and then trying to come back.

[@melhudson1703]

She looks so good. And her form looks great too, I'm so excited!

[@withlove312]

Hell yeah! Aly looks great, sounds great, and has such a maturity. No unrealistic expectations, Mihai is totally with it, things sound like they are coming along as ideally as is possible for a comeback (Nastia, I hope you're taking notes - this is how you stage a comeback.) I've never been a huge fan of Aly personally, though I respect her immensely and even more so now that I see the strategy and fruits of her progress. Is it just me or do her toes look just a little bit more pointed, a bit more extended? I know one thing she wanted was to improve on her weaker areas, and she seems to be doing just that. Nay sayers can suck it.

[@adamrached4004]

at least thats what you see on tv

[@patricia.ibanez]

And now she is in the finals for AA, floor and team! So happy for Aly!!!!

[@WatchYourAttitude]

Very excited to see Aly back in action. Really hope she'll make it to the Olympics.

[@KM-eo2jq]

She did :)

[@pinkishpearl19]

I'm so excited for Aly's comeback! Wooo-hoooo!!!

[@camillaeldra]

SHE MADE IT!!!!!! So glad for her with all the olympic results!!!!!

[@robinxxxxxxxxxxx]

Raismann is a fighter, thats probably her best quality! Remember all her coaches said that she works extremely hard? She looks good though!

[@macerface]

I wish all the girls coming back the best of luck. I love all of them and think they're so talented. Hard work, consistency, and believing in yourself pays off.

[@Krompskont]

From the short clips it looks like her bar work is much more controlled and mature. So excited and can't wait to see her in action again.

[@justcogitating]

Have to say, I'm so impressed with Kyla Ross for not taking a break after the 2012 Olympics-- she really deserves Rio. She saw how difficult it was for Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson to try to make a comeback after a big break. Obviously, I'm super impressed with Aly too, and I wish her all the best in her comeback. On a separate note: Doesn't there seem to be a disproportionate number of USA female gymnasts with the letter "y" in their name, as compared to the population at large?

[@justcogitating]

Lol, no, I was thinking more along the lines of Kyla, Jordyn, Mckayla Maroney, and Mykayla Skinner (two 'y's!). No nicknames there.

[@amcnxd]

she made it :D yay

[@ednavinalay]

Beyond excited to see my favorite gymnast back in action! 😁👌 #TeamAly

[@hannahconroy]

Thanks so much for this mini documentary! Welcome back, Aly! You are a wonderful person! I'm cheering for you! Congrats on making into the National Team. :) Keep up the good work and God bless!

[@juliebv1]

wow, someone's definitely on the right track. It's so nice to see this first Aly update. I can't wait to see her compete again in a couple of months!

[@Se31298]

Lets not hate on Mustafina, please. They both had their share of mistakes in that all around, and they both deserved the bronze. But Aliya's bars were SO superior to anyone else's (and Aly's were so weak) that despite her fall Aliya had some cushion. Plus I doubt half of you even know her story. She was world aa champion in 2010, but at the 2011 European Championships, she tore her acl on the amanar vault (This is the same injury the took down Shawn Johnson and Rebecca Bross, two great gymnasts). Yet she was able to come back and become the most decorated athlete, save for the swimmers, in London. I still love Aly and can't wait to see her come back but I'm so tired of people trashing on Mustafina.

[@pappysprite]

I think they both deserved the bronze medal...I see no reason not to give out more than one medal if the scores are tied.

[@Se31298]

Thank you I 100% agree. If there's a tie both gymnasts should be recognised.

[@SanCarbo]

While I agree with most of what you said I have to correct one thing. Shawn Johnson and Rebecca Bross did not get injured performing the Amanar vault. Shawn torn hers skiing and rebecca dislocated her knee cap performing a double twisting yurchenko. An amanar is 2 1/2 twists. I also feel like they both should have received their bronze medals for their stellar performances. Both were great in the all around competition that day!

[@Se31298]

Sorry I shouldve specified. They did tear their ACLs though and that's all that matters.

[@JojoandKorrin]

She's so pretty and so talented and seems like an all around sweet person. Definitely my girl crush.

[@JojoandKorrin]

@skyblue5814 would you like some lemons with that haterade?

[@allysonrobles3808]

I love seeing Aly with Simone❤

[@JaneMichelleTv]

She's such an amazing athlete & came back in better shape. I'm SO curious how those first few months of workouts went and what they consist of in order to get back into shape after a full year off. And coming back every day initially....omg the soreness. She's a badass.

[@CodySDivineCreators]

Wow I didn't expect her to even be this good at this point so far. I almost see a maturity in her movement.. *VERY IMPRESSIVE* .

[@caskettlover70]

What Aly has that the other girls don't is international experience. She is a veteran. If Aly stays consistent she will prob be on the 2016 Olympic team. Aly is strong on floor. USA could need her

[@SheaNDamon1829]

Thanks USA Gymnastics for the update! She's looking great already, and she still has over eight months before Secret Classic. I think she'll be competitive at her first competition back!

[@bradenmills624]

She was ripped off in the 2012 All Around. Drop the lowest score????? Really, FIG? It's not the All-Around if you drop an event.

[@brittanym4539]

You make a VERY good point with how it's not AA if the FIG drops a whole event to break a tie! I never thought about it like that, and it's completely true. Ugh the FIG.... They need to all be replaced because half the rules in gymnastics are brainless.

[@marloesss10]

Brittany M They should get rid of the tiebreaker procedure at all. Gymnastics is the only sport that has it still. If two gymnast have the same score they both deserve the medal

[@SusanHussein17]

That still pisses me off too, like how is dropping the lowest score the best thing they could come up with? Mustafina won the tie because she made the largest error and benefitted from having a much lower score taken off her total than Aly who's lowest score was which was over 5 tenths higher than mustafinas. Aly got punished for being more consistent in All Around final ffs

[@manuefigo1471]

I don't agree because IMO, she didn't have her place in 2012 all-around final. Jordyn should have been in it. For me, it is just a kind of justice.

[@jtg8811]

I totally agree with you about the dropping one event not being All Around. However, it is important to note that this is not an FIG rule. It is an IOC rule. FIG rules break ties by execution score. Whoever had the highest E score gets the medal in FIG, but the FIG doesn't have jurisdiction at the Olympics, and the IOC keeps their own set of rules. However, a different topic altogether is whether the tie should be broken at all. I say no way. Gymnastics is the only sport for which the IOC has a tie-break rule. All other sports in both summer and winter do not break the tie and award multiple medals if earned. If the same rules were applied to gymnastics Aly would not have been the only recipient of another medal. Catalina Ponor would have received a bronze on beam and Vanessa Ferrari would have received a bronze on floor. I think the whole system of tie breaking is unjust when no other sport has equivalent requirements.

[@Kitty27281]

Wow..she's training a double layout! She's doing pretty good for her comeback! Hopefully she'll compete this upcoming year. c:

[@luzmech]

I don't know anything about gymnastics, but I really wanted Aly to come back and I'm super happy that she's getting back at it; also she must feel some kind of pressure when she's at the gym because you can clearly see all the other girls staring at her while she practices, that must have a lot of mental weight on her but I know Aly can handle it.

[@911madza]

She is such an inspiration

[@qwertyu1234587]

front tuck to split leap and front pike wolf. shes looking legit.

[@MelDiaz1995]

I love her so much ❤

[@20barcelona68]

Aly is so beautiful!!! Amazing gymnast!

[@celticsdude]

She's very beautiful!!!!!

[@skategurl1102]

Well I hope she comes back!I know I will be excited to see her!

[@tiffanykuo4256]

I think the year off not only greatly helped her mental health but allowed greatly needed rest for her body...so many bones and organs need strengthening, not just muscles...if you watch the videos on how she trains to point of great pain and exhaustion almsot every single day you will realize how much she needed it.

[@jairoandresurquinaboshell6145]

I Think that Martha is the one that will put Aly (if she gets to the 2016 Olympic Trials) on that team, she did so great for the team, sadly not for her self when you talk about the all around, but she was able to put it all together to win gold and bronze, and when the team needed her she was there, Way to go Aly :) and she looks way better that i thought she will be

[@vanessak8364]

did you forget her gold on floor or her bronze on beam? She did very well for herself.

[@jairoandresurquinaboshell6145]

I didn´t forget it but i was talking about the all around, sorry if i wrote something wrong.

[@melhudson1703]

Vanessa Krasniewicz I was just going to say the same thing lol

[@ednavinalay]

She didn't do good for herself??? Really?!! She walked away the most decorated USA gymnast in the 2012 Olympics and she didn't do good for herself?!! Lol

[@tribe2003]

...yeah, she was actually the most decorated US gymnast at the 2012 Games. And even in the AA she was only denied a medal by virtue of a ridiculous, unfair, arbitrary tiebreaker rule.

[@011cra]

Depending on the rising seniors we'll find out where Aly fits in but for example at this last worlds, if she had her 2.5 twister she would have been used on VT, BB and Floor. Kyla would have probably just been used for Bars. Really, Raisman and Gabby have the best shot at another cycle. The only way Maroney will make another team is through absolute and unjust preferrance. Her vault is just not needed anymore. Simone vaults just as good and Skinner has a Cheng. Come 2016 there will be Amanars to throw left and right from USA. Maroney's best shot I feel is by becoming an AA and having at least another super strong piece. Kyla will not make that olympic team without upgrades unless the team losses depth.

[@dannyweiss9547]

What a wonderful, mature and level-headed reflection! It is great to see her putting in so much hard work, and being very sober-minded and realistic about what it will take to get back in shape in time. Her work ethic is definitely commendable. It looks like she's got herself on a good track! I would love to see more consideration to artistry as she moves forward in her career and matures. She is a wonderful personality and role model for other gymnasts and young women. Good luck Aly, we're all rooting for you!

[@vanessajuliaz2779]

So inspiring & motivating! I can´t wait to see her competing again and I really hope she makes the 2016 olympic team!

[@ally4eva93]

Look at that she has a gold and a silver at rio!

[@SasukeisAwesome]

SO excited to see her back!!!

[@emilybergonzi4667]

Her bars look so much better than I thought they would. I know there's not the pressure of competition in the gym but still they look really clean.

[@charlierose575]

hope she competes in 2016 Olympics

[@bargleboy]

She's not really my favorite gymnast, but I really admire how hard she works. And her tumbling is amaaaazing, she makes that arabian double pike look SO EASY.

[@awesomenessindaface]

She looks great! Excited for her comeback!

[@noraha7623]

She looks in a great shape! , I wish her the best of luck .

[@ssmith968]

Imagine how great Shawn, Nastia, Ali, etc could have been if they didn't take so much time off!

[@nathan10120]

Nastia didn't take a long time off.

[@X_MissMary_X]

Well, this is looking to be a very difficult time to make your way back on the team, but Aly looks great and definitely on the right track! I wish her the best of luck and would love to see her do well!

[@francinegloveryt6913]

She took home the gold lessgoooooo

[@chistueco]

She looks really good, especially on beam! Great attitude as well - ambitious yet realistic and grounded. I'm impressed.

[@TheDeeSDeeS]

I wish that she and Kyla make the Rio team.

[@Maekdempsey]

I Love Aly so much😍😘❤️💗

[@markgable101]

I'm from England and one i like about American sports men and women is they train very hard. I like that. We have Claudia Fragapane coming to the Olympics in Rio and she is amazing. Like a ball of dynamite. She will sweep the board imo.

[@georgert]

Aly looks to be at an amazing place at a little past half way through the quadrennium. Granted, she has a lot of hard work ahead to stave off the younger girls, but again, she shows great progress and she has always been known to be an extremely dedicated athlete.

[@Yuri92001]

I think that because of her consistency she is the most likely of the 2012 team to come back. I think it's going to be her, Biles, and three juniors that are coming up.

[@sarahmcdonald9472]

I Think she actually has a good shot, looking at the current national team, and all their strength and weaknesses Vault, we are extremely strong, nearly all of them can get 15 internationally, so aly will be right in the mix provided she gets her 2.5 back (which make Mckayla not really needed) Bars, we are also doing alright, surprizing for U.S, We got Ashton Locklear, Kyla Ross - if she upgrades, Madison Kochian, Simone Biles, Breena Dowell & Maggie Nicols. (No idea whats happening with Gabby Douglas' comeback so leaving her out) Aly would never really be used there, but it looks like her bar works much cleaner which will help her for AA. Beam, Strong beam workers would be Simone, Kyla, Alyssa Baumann, Madison, Maggie. Going by what she was capable with in 2012 she will have a high D score, if she can get the 9.0+ execution score she was talking about, think she will top 3. Floor, Is it just me that thinks we are kind of week on floor at the moment? We have Simone and Skinner, maybe Baumann? Aly strongest event, she would defiantly help out here!

[@melhudson1703]

Gabby was added to the National Team with Aly recently so that's where she is in her comeback

[@sarahmcdonald9472]

Melonie Hudson yeah but nastia was in the national team pre '12 Olympics, and she was no where near ready, at least in my opinion. I have seen her back in the gym video but wasn't really convinced. Guess i'll have to wait till they compete!

[@justcogitating]

I think Kyla is pretty good on floor. She didn't have the highest difficulty at Worlds, but she was recovering from an injury, and her execution was excellent.

[@melhudson1703]

true but Nastia didn't start training until 8 months before London. This is different, Gabby has more time.

[@melhudson1703]

but yeah we'll see what happens

[@LemonSlushie96]

I loved that double lay go for it girl

[@ilovethebears1]

So great to do her looking so great. If she stays healthy I think she's got a great shot.

[@anaaguilera100]

Excited to see Rasiman back! anyone know if Jordan will be training or she sticking to UCLA?

[@kimbec]

nope she's retired!

[@SheaNDamon1829]

Last I heard, she was still deciding, which tells me she isn't coming back. Even if she started serious training today, making an Olympic team after 2.5 years off would be really hard.

[@stopstandingstartflying9627]

Ya, and the upcoming junior team ist tough to beat... even for Aly! But I really see her making it if she works hard and stays confident and motivated!

[@KCALSportsCentral]

who shot this video? no mic?! the interview with the her coach is blown out...geezus

[@rachelmiller4740]

I really really hope she and gabby both get put on the jesolo assignment. Could see easily how far they are both along, and compare them with the younger girls sooner. I still am kind of shocked that Jordyn isn't really training anymore... out of all the fierce five I thought she would have the most motivation, not living up to expectations.

[@SheaNDamon1829]

I expected Jordyn to come back as well, but I can't say I'm too surprised. Even though the Olympics weren't quite what she wanted, she still had a very successful gymnastics career. She seems to be enjoying college and moving on with her life. Making a second Olympic team is a HUGE commitment, so I understand not wanting to do it. Also, I'm sure the idea of competing with Simone is really intimidating as she's pretty much a lock to win all-around and probably several of the events as long as she stays healthy. I'm excited to see how Aly's and Simone's floor routines compare.

[@gabriellaf2394]

out of yhe fab five, i think kyla has the best chance. she has been determined and not taken a break. if mckayala isnt injured and gets better on another event she has a chance. ally has a chance if she works hard

[@Alysiipeice]

YAY!!!

[@a.mcfire9459]

She looks totally focus, but I think it's hard for her to go to the Olympics again. I think US likes to replace their entire team, since they have plenty of girls to choose from. We just need to remind ourselves what happened to Nastia and Sacromone at the 2012 trials. But once again, it's totally possible and I do hope Aly could be in Rio and shine as bright as she did in London.

[@oldvideosvault9730]

Shawn retired from gymnastics in 2011. She never went to the 2012 Olympic trials. Nastia Luikin and Alicia Sacromone did though.

[@a.mcfire9459]

Sacromone, right! I think I just mixed up the names, thanks for noticing.

[@oldvideosvault9730]

Alice Mcfire Oh no problem lol. I hope Aly can be in shape for 2015 worlds. That would be awesome!

[@SheaNDamon1829]

Nastia didn't make it because she was no where near ready. Alicia looked strong at trials, but making the team as a specialist is difficult, and they had plenty of good vaulters and beam workers already. Marta definitely prefers all-around gymnasts, so Gabby, Kyla, and Aly have a good shot if they stay in shape and avoid injuries (I have no idea about McKayla. The injuries are really killing her chances, and she never seemed to be consistent on all four events).

[@a.mcfire9459]

SheaNDamon1829 I totally agree with you. It's very hard (no to say impossible) to McKayla be chosen again, specially now after she got injured. Although she could be just gorgeous to watch on vault, as you said Martha is looking for all-around gymnasts. Is Jordyn retired? I figured that after what happened in London, she just didn't feel confident enough to come back and just gave up on gymnastics (which I though has happened to Komova as well, but luckily she's trying to come back).

[@liampotatoe23]

gabby needed to take comeback notes from aly raisman ✋🏼

[@withlove312]

Right now there is need for a strong bar/beam worker. Now, obviously Aly can't fill that niche because her bars, however improved, will not likely be strong. Beam is where Aly can make the best case for herself: there are not a lot of girls right now who can put up a beam that is both consistent, difficult and well-executed all at once. Vault has never been Aly's stand out event as her Amanar wasn't all that great to begin with, but it's possible. There are newcomers who could fill in on vault better than Aly, like Key and Dennis, who look like they will have Amanars soon. Floor will be competitive but I can see Aly edging out Skinner if she has the difficulty. Aly and others would most likely have the better balance of execution and difficulty. And that's not counting what Gabby could bring...

[@withlove312]

***** Agreed, if Aly came back as a solid all arounder with outstanding beam/floor work that would optimize her chances. Typically on a five person team you would want three all arounders, two who are the best of the best and one who is a jack of all trades that can put up a good score anywhere and fill in when needed. Aly's more or less been in that role before. But of course beam/floor will be where she'll most likely go for broke and if she does not do well enough on the other events or she was in some circumstance where she had to drop them, that is where she should put her focus. A specialist needs two or three events to justify being on the Olympic team unless the program is either desperate or the gymnast is too exceptional to be left behind (Maroney).

[@familyentertainmenttelevis8327]

Fun

[@dahighbar]

She Looks good to me

[@DeezyDre]

omg they all talk alike ! lol she sounds JUST like mckayla maroney

[@caligreen4208]

She looks wwwwwaaayyyyy better with her hair pulled back , looks all weird straightened

[@DeezyDre]

yo what is everyone talking about in the comments .. i dont understand lol

[@bellagonzales2378]

Do u get paid to be a gymnast?

[@dorkyymonster]

She's pissed... because she lost, at uneven bars 😌

[@tk000]

Marry me!