Young & raring to go at Rio: Meet eight high-school-age students participating at the Olympics

Laurie Hernandez, Gymnastics, 16
Hernandez, a crowd favourite with her energetic floor routines, just finished her sophomore year at Abeka Academy High School in Old Bridge, New Jersey.

Nicole Ahsinger, Gymnastics, 18
Ahsinger recently finished her senior year at Scripps Ranch High School in San Diego, California and has been training for the Olympics since. She is the sole American female trampoline athlete at this year’s event.

Kanak Jha, Table tennis, 16
Jha will be the youngest ever to compete in the Olympics in his sport. The teenager is taking high-school classes online and just finished his sophomore year in high school.


Picture: AP

Sydney McLaughlin, Track and field, 16
McLaughlin has done her junior year at Union Catholic High School in New Jersey. She is the youngest runner since 1972 to be competing in the Olympics for track and field.


Picture: AP

Charles Conwell, Boxing, 18
The youngest member of the American Olympic boxing team, Conwell graduated his senior year at Vista Murrieta High School in Murrieta, California. The 18-yearold will fight in the middleweight category.

Vashti Cunningham, Track and field, 18
Vashti Cunningham, who has done her senior year at Bishop Gorman High School in Nevada, already has a contract with Nike. The teenager finished second at the Olympic trials and has a good shot at the gold in Rio, according to her dad, retired NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham.


Picture: AFP

Mallory Pugh, Soccer, 18
Pugh, who completed her senior year at Mountain Vista High School in Colorado, is the youngest member of the American women’s soccer team. The only amateur on the team, she will be heading to UCLA soon.


Picture: AFP

Laura Zeng, Rhythmic gymnastics, 16
Zeng, who completed her sophomore year at Libertyville High School in Illinois, won the bronze medal at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympics.