For these US gymnasts, Olympic glory is a beginning, not an end

When it comes to sports that attract fervent attention at the Olympics, gymnastics is always a top contender. Pulse-pounding and entertaining, the gravity-defying skills exhibited by athletes is unlike anything else seen at the Games. However, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic erasing a year of anticipation-building pre-Olympic competition, there is also an air of mystery for those outside the gymnastics universe about most of the six women — alongside stalwart Simone Biles, there’s Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee, Grace McCallum, Jade Carey and MyKayla Skinner. Some — like Chiles, whose prospects were bolstered after a move to Biles’ gym — are underdogs, and some — like Skinner, who stepped away from a star spot on the University of Utah’s team to train for an Olympics berth — are stepping outside the conventional path for the sport. Read More