Hernandez Who Won A Gold Medal At The 2016 Olympics Announced Her Retirement On Social Media

American gymnast Laurie Hernandez retires

Hernandez, who won a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics, announced her retirement on social media.

The 22-year-old gymnast said she is "excited to start a new chapter" in her life.

Lauren Zoe Hernandez (born June 9, 2000) is an American retired artistic gymnast. She was a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. women's gymnastics team at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Hernandez was the youngest member of the team and the first American gymnast born in the 21st century to win an Olympic gold medal.

Hernandez began gymnastics at the age of 5. She trained at MG Elite Gymnastics in Morganville, New Jersey, under coach Maggie Haney. Hernandez made her international debut at the 2014 Junior Pan American Championships, where she won a gold medal in the all-around competition. She also competed at the 2015 World Championships, where she helped the U.S. team win a silver medal.

In 2016, Hernandez made her senior debut at the Pacific Rim Championships, where she won a gold medal in the all-around competition. She also competed at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, where she finished second in the all-around competition. Hernandez was selected to the U.S. Olympic team for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

At the Olympics, Hernandez helped the U.S. team win the gold medal in the team competition. She also competed in the individual all-around competition, where she finished sixth. Hernandez also competed in the balance beam and floor exercise finals, where she finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

After the Olympics, Hernandez took a break from gymnastics to focus on her education. She enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, where she is majoring in business administration.