Team USA is sending a coveted gymnastics squad to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Ally Raisman was once a vital member part of the national team, and she reflected on her 2012 Olympic run when she won Bronze under immense pressure.

“During the quarter-final at the Olympics, I had just finished the beam final competition, and I had tied for fourth. And we had put in an inquiry because they didn’t think that I should get credit for this turn connection that I did on beam. So they ended up giving me credit for the skill [and] I ended up getting bumped to the bronze, and I was so excited,” Raisman began, via BBC Influential.

“It was such a special experience because I wasn’t expected to medal on beam— so getting that Bronze medal was one of my proudest moments. It’s so terrifying: the tension in the arena — you could literally hear a bag of chips open, it’s so quiet, so nerve-wracking. You could hear the clicking of the camera! I was so proud of myself for handling the pressure,” Raisman added.

Aly Raisman put on an incredible performance given the load she faced. The star gymnast admitted that she was exhausted by the end of the 2012 Olympics. She recalled the long period of competition and the emotional exhaustion from pressure that challenged her.

Furthermore, Raisman said she having a hard time doing her “first pass on the floor” during her practice sessions for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Instead of landing in bounds, she kept landing out of bounds. This made her nervous and question if she should cut part of her routine, However, her coach encouraged her to stick with it, and her revamped mentality led to one of the best performances of her life.

Aly Raisman embraced the moment and rose to the challenge 

Despite being nervous about practice mishaps, Raisman found a way to overcome her doubt.

“I think I was so nervous that by the time I got up there [for my floor routine], I just sort of was like, ‘I’ve got to just let go, not think.’ And I think to this day it was one of the best floor routines I’ve done in my entire life,” Raisman said.

Raisman said she entered a flow-like state and felt the stress of practice allowed her to embrace the moment. She won gold in the floor event, adding to her impressive Olympic resume.

The legendary gymnastics star will not be the competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics, but she will be cheering the squad on. Raisman has taken time to emphasize other important areas of her and others’ lives, focusing on mental health advocacy.

“So many athletes define their work by their result but (that advice) helped me realize that I can go on to do other great things. Obviously winning medals is wonderful, but I hope to help make athletes safer and I encourage people to prioritize mental health,” she said.

Raisman knows the pressures elite athletes can face. With Team USA having the support of a legend like her, the squad can make more history in 2024 while keeping their health in check.