Impressive Olympic Performances Boost Interest in Gymnastics

The U.S. Women’s gymnastics team finished the Olympics competition last night and they’re taking home nine medals – more than any U.S. gymnastics team in history.

For many gymnasts, watching the Final Five has generated a lot of excitement.

“It just inspires me to come in the gym and work even harder to try and get to where they are,” Said 16-year-old Cassidy Girolamo of Newington.

While the women’s competition is over, practicing at Gymnastics Express Too in Glastonbury is not.

“I recorded like every gymnastics night and like I do watch it back," said Sara Proctor of Waterford, who said watching routines are a chance for her to learn new skills. I’ve watched Simone Biles like at least 50 times and she’s like crazy."

“I love watching the new skills that they have because I would go home and train on some of them just because maybe one day I could be at that level and be on the world stage right next to them,”said 17-year-old Alissa Bonsaol of Haddam.

Gymnasts say they relate to the Final Five more than ever now.

“Just knowing that sometimes most of the skills they do I can do too it’s just really cool,” said 14-year-old Taylor Pitchel of Wethersfield.

“I thought it was pretty cool that Simone won in the end I mean it’s so cool that she’s my height and she has all that muscle,” Said 13 year-old Madison Dorunda of Waterford.

Even Gymnastics Express Too is seeing more parents sign their kids up to do the sport. At least 200 new gymnasts are expected in the coming weeks.

“They seem to be really wanting to come in and do gymnastics and a lot of the parents are coming here saying wow I really want my kid to come and do gymnastics Express so we’ve been registering quite a few kids pretty quickly,” said owner Maureen Chagnon.

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