Things to Do
Things to Do

Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez visits Atlanta, discusses Tokyo 2020

Gymnast and Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez. Photo by Harry How. Copyright Getty Images.
Gymnast and Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez. Photo by Harry How. Copyright Getty Images.
By Nicole D. Smith
May 24, 2018

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, American gymnast Laurie Hernandez won the hearts of many across the world. She danced. She flipped. She fearlessly competed on the world’s biggest stage for athletes.

Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez is partnering with pro dancer Valentin Chmerkovskiy. ABC announced on Aug. 30, 2016, that Hernandez will take part in the upcoming season of "Dancing with the Stars." The show returns on Monday, Sept. 12 on ABC. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Credit: Clive Brunskill

icon to expand image

Credit: Clive Brunskill

During her recent visit to Atlanta for the SECO 2018 optometry conference, features editor Nicole Smith asks the gymnast to describe how it feels to live a life saturated with adrenaline, competition, excitement and gold-medal success. Plus, host Shane Harrison shares things to do in Atlanta during the next 10 days, including the Candler Park Music and Food Festival.

LISTEN: accessAtlanta podcast

LISTEN: You'll find more of our weekly podcast here.

RELATED:

ExploreOlympic champ Gabby Douglas goes ‘Undercover Boss’ in Atlanta
ExploreSimone Biles: Is a 4-foot-9, 18-year-old America’s best athlete?
ExploreThings to do in and around Atlanta

About the Author

UGA grad. CNN alum. Digital savant. Nicole D. Smith is the Senior Digital Features Editor for the AJC, too. #GoDAWGS

More Stories

Keep Reading

Blooper celebrates the Atlanta Brave’s 5-0 win over the New York Mets during a MLB game Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at Truist Park. This year, the venue is a first-time host of the MLB All-Star game. (Daniel Varnado for the AJC)

Credit: Daniel Varnado for the AJC

Coming to Atlanta for MLB All-Star week? There’s fun outside Truist Park too.

Events happening around the city include the Capital One All-Star Village, MLB draft watch party and the All-Star 4.4 Miler.

Saddle up for these Beyoncé-themed pop-up bars, brunches and shows in Atlanta

Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter tour is coming to Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium for shows Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday.

15 family-friendly things to do in metro Atlanta this weekend

From MLB All-Star Game festivities and a WWE Saturday Night Main Event to Run Santa Run and Goat Yoga, here are 15 family-friendly things to do in metro Atlanta this weekend.

The Latest

Strike a yoga pose with a friendly dwarf goat at the Pinckneyville Park Community Recreation Center on Saturday. (Courtesy of the Gwinnett County Convention and Visitors Bureau)

Credit: Photo courtesy of Gwinnett County Convention and Visitors Bureau

15 family-friendly things to do in metro Atlanta this weekend

Between Beyoncé shows, Atlanta’s creatives take the stage

Saddle up for these Beyoncé-themed pop-up bars, brunches and shows in Atlanta

Featured

Rebecca Ramage-Tuttle, assistant director of the Statewide Independent Living Council of Georgia, says the the DOE rule change is “a slippery slope” for civil rights. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Georgia disability rights advocates fear weakening of U.S. accessibility law

Advocates worry the Department of Energy’s move could be the start of a broader effort by other federal agencies to roll back civil rights rules.

From boycott to ballgame: Baseball’s political All-Star Game saga returns to Georgia

MLB pulled the 2021 All-Star Game from Georgia over the state's voting law, Senate Bill 202. Now it’s back — and Republicans say the return proves they were right all along.

OPINION

Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ tour pushes fans outside the norm

Preparations for the show pushed people out of their comfort zones — into new stores, new communities, a new style of dress, and in some cases, to visit new cities.