Rio Olympic fever may be over, but there are plenty of ways to keep supporting all of your new favorite athletes. The upcoming season of DWTS on ABC is giving us two famous faces from the summer games in Laurie Hernandez and Ryan Locte. Will gymnast Laurie Hernandez win Dancing With The Stars ? The Olympic charmer is already a favorite to win.
Olympic figure skaters and ice dancers have also faired well in the competition — with both Kristi Yamaguchi and Meryl Davis taking home the proverbial gold. Evan Lycacek came in second in 2010 as well. Other Olympians and professional athletes have competed before, but it does help when you have some kind of dance, or dance-adjacent, training. Ballroom dancing requires a lot of physical strength that, but the performance element is a totally different skill that cyclists, bobsledders, and even swimmers might not have.
As for gymnasts, there are three other women who have crossed disciplines and faced the mirror ball since the show's inception. Some retired, some very much still active in the sport. Dancing With The Stars has to be a pretty fun way to spend your off-season and stay fit, don't you think? Here's how they did in the competition, and what it means for Laurie Hernandez's chances.
Aly Raisman
Hernandez's teammate and captain joined the show in Season 16 and came in fourth. That's not terrible, but it's not a win either. However, and I don't mean this as a slight to a fierce competitor like Raisman, but I think Hernandez is coming to DWTS with just a little bit more of that mirror ball flair. Raisman is a little bit more business-like, and while that makes her a decorated Olympian, it's not the best on the dance floor.
Nastia Liukin
This is pretty cute! However, Liukin also came in fourth in Season 20.
Shawn Johnson
Johnson may have retired from gymnastics in 2012, but she's the one to beat on the Dancing With The Stars stage, in terms of record. She came in first in Season 8 and placed second in Season 15, the All-Stars competition. That basically makes her one of the all-time greats. However, I think they have a similar energy, Johnson and Hernandez. Since overall gymnasts do pretty well on DTWS, I think we can count on Laurie Hernandez sticking it out for the long run.
Image: ABC
