Women’s artistic gymnastics at the Tokyo Olympics was full of memorable moments: Oksana Chusovitina’s eighth Olympic appearance, Suni Lee making history for Hmong Americans, and Rebeca Andrade becoming Brazil’s first Olympic medalist in her sport, to name a few. Awards and records aside, it also added to a growing conversation about mental health in sports with Simone Biles leading the dialogue for gymnasts especially. Though we’re sad to see it go, women’s gymnastics is back on the collegiate level starting this winter.
As a reminder, NCAA gymnastics is scored differently than the numbers we saw at the Tokyo Games — its system still uses perfect-10 scoring as opposed to a combined larger total of execution and difficulty adopted by elite gymnastics in 2006. Ahead, check out gymnasts who will be trading in their Olympic rings for showy salutes and team spirit, which they can now officially do without having to choose between the collegiate world and professional opportunities. Feel the excitement building? We sure do.