Alexandra Rose Raisman Bio

Alexandra Rose Raisman was born on May 25, 1994. She is a retired American artistic gymnast. She was the American women's Olympic gymnastics team captain for both the 2012 and 2016 "Fierce Five" U.S. teams. She was awarded the gold medal in the team competition at the 2016 Olympics. Gabby Douglas as her teammate also took home gold. Raisman took home silver medals for the all-around individual and floor exercise. Raisman also earned silver medals for the individual all-around as well as for floor exercise. She is also two-time champion of the national championship in floor exercises (2012 and 2015) and the 2012 champion of the national championship in balance beam. She also is five times a national champion in all-around competitions at national championships (silver and bronze in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015.). She was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. Raisman was born on the 25th of May, 1994 in the Boston suburb of Needham, Massachusetts, to Lynn (nee Faber), who was a former gymnast at high school, and Rick Raisman. She has three younger sisters: Madison, Chloe, & Brett. Raisman is Jewish and has said, "I take a lot of satisfaction in being able not only represent the U.S.A and the Jewish community everywhere. Raisman began gymnastics at the age of eighteen months. She credits her love for gymnastics to the "Magnificent Seven", an American women's group that won the gold medal at 1996 Summer Olympics. The athlete was trained at Exxcel Gymnastics and Climbing up to Level 8, and then moved to Brestyan’s American Gymnastics Club, where she was instructed by Silvia Brestyan and Mihai Brestyan. Raisman graduated from Needham High School in 2012 after finishing her senior year through online classes , while preparing for the Olympics.