Laurie Hernandez will be competing on the upcoming 23rd season of Dancing with the Stars.
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Lauren, nicknamed "Laurie," is a 16-year-old American artistic gymnast who competed as a member of the U.S. women's gymnastics team at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Laurie has been paired with pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy for the new season of Dancing with the Stars and they already have a secret handshake down!
Laurie, who is of Puerto Rican descent, is 5'0" and has a strong faith in God. But what else do we know about her?
Below is a list of 7 facts Reality TV World has compiled about Laurie Hernandez:
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- She won gold in the team event and silver on the balance beam at this summer's Olympics.
- Laurie was born on June 9, 2000 in New Brunswick, NJ.
- In 2014, she committed to the University of Florida to compete as a Florida Gator gymnast in the NCAA but she decided to forgo her NCAA eligibility and become a pro athlete last month.
- Laurie and Val will be named "Team Valaur" on Dancing with the Stars, which is very fitting since valor means "great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle."
- She got to hang out with Beyonce and Kim Kardashian at the 2016 VMAs. She loves Kanye West more than Kanye loves Kanye!
- Laurie began her gymnastics career at age 5 and has been home-schooled since the third grade.
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- The gymnast had to take six months off two years ago after a series of injuries, including a fractured wrist, dislocated knee and torn patella ligament.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski