This gymnast’s debut on the world stage began at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where her powerful performances not only won her admiration, but also a medal. While she shared the Olympic floor with names like Simone Biles, being in the Final Five, she carved out a place of her own in the sport. Expectations were high for her return at the Tokyo Games, but a mix of personal growth, injuries, and the global pandemic led her to step away from competition. And now, it’s drum rolls for her comeback onto the stage again. How so?
A hand over her mouth, eyes wide open, an emotion of certain shock but also that of happiness, overwhelming joy. That is how Laurie Hernandez looked in her latest Instagram post. But why was she shocked? The caption had the story, “woah! we won a Sports Emmy!! go team!!” it read. Yes, Simone Biles’ teammate from the Rio Olympics, a member of the Final Five, has won an Emmy. Something the most decorated gymnast of all time is yet to receive. What did the Olympian win a Sports Emmy for?
After retiring from competitive gymnastics, Laurie Hernandez took on a role as an NBC Sports analyst and correspondent. She returned to the Olympic stage as an NBC correspondent covering women’s gymnastics during the Paris Olympics. The whole show has won the Emmy for the Outstanding Live Special – Championship Event. The former gymnast reacted to The Emmys’ official post, saying “WAIT WHAT“.
The official account of Emmy took notice and quoted, “Olympic champion AND Emmy winner @LaurieHernandez ! #SportsEmmys.” She had been nominated for Emmys before as well. She was a part of the 2021 docuseries Defying Gravity: The Untold Story of Women’s Gymnastics, which explored the evolution of women’s gymnastics and the challenges athletes face, including body image, ageism, and abuse within the sport. The series featured prominent gymnasts such as Hernandez, Aly Raisman, and Jordyn Wieber. Defying Gravity was nominated for a 2021 Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Edited Sports Series and won the 2021 Producers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Sports Program. UFC The Walk – McGregor vs. Cowboy took the Emmy that year.
Simone Biles almost had an Emmy. Simone Biles Rising is a four-part documentary series produced by Religion of Sports in partnership with the International Olympic Committee and Olympic Channel Services. It premiered on Netflix on July 17, 2024, with the remaining episodes releasing in October 2024. The series offers an intimate look at Simone Biles’ journey, focusing on her mental health challenges during the Tokyo Olympics and her determination to return to competitive gymnastics in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The series was nominated for the 2021 Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Edited Sports Series, competing against other strong contenders like UFC The Walk – McGregor vs. Cowboy, which ultimately won the Emmy that year. Beyond the Emmy nod, the series earned several other prestigious nominations and awards, including two wins at the 2024 Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards for Best Sports Documentary and Best Limited Documentary Series. It was also nominated for the Producers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Sports Program in 2025.
