"I feel like I'm way older [than she was,]" Biles joked last month at the U.S. Olympic trials. The seven-time Olympic medalist is surely not the "hamster on a wheel" she was when she burst onto the Olympic scene in 2016. Relaxed name, image and likeness rules allowed marketable Olympic gymnasts to maintain their NCAA eligibility and help extend gymnastics careers. College gymnastics used to be considered a "retirement community" for elite gymnasts, said Gina Pongetti, a physical therapist who has worked with elite, national team and collegiate gymnasts for more than 20 years. UCLA coach Janelle McDonald has noticed an uptick in the number of top recruits expressing interest in returning to elite gymnastics during or after their collegiate careers.

Source: Los Angeles Times July 28, 2024 02:03 UTC