Olympic champion gymnast Laurie Hernandez became the youngest winner of “Dancing with the Stars” in the show’s 23rd season on Tuesday.
Hernandez, 16, and partner Val Chmerkovskiy beat IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe and retired NFL wide receiver Calvin Johnson for the Mirror Ball Trophy in Tuesday’s finale.
“I just want to thank everyone for the support and riding along this crazy roller coaster of my life,” Hernandez, who was 4 years old when “Dancing with the Stars” debuted in 2005, said seconds after being named the winner.
She became the fifth Olympian and second gymnast to take the title, joining Apolo Ohno, Kristi Yamaguchi, Shawn Johnson and Meryl Davis.
Johnson was previously the youngest winner at age 17 in 2009. Nastia Liukin and Aly Raisman also competed in previous seasons, both finishing fourth.
Hernandez and Chmerkovskiy had a stellar season on the show, stringing together five straight perfect scores across three weeks starting on Halloween.
It came after she won team gold and balance beam silver at the Rio Olympics as the first U.S. female Olympian born in the 2000s.
Hernandez continues her busy week in New York City, where she’ll be part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (NBC, 9 a.m.-noon across all time zones).
Hernandez said after Tuesday’s show that she will join a post-series “Dancing with the Stars” tour.
VIDEO: Laurie Hernandez’s turn in the Mannequin Challenge
Olympians on ‘Dancing with the Stars’
Season 1 — Evander Holyfield (1984, boxing)
Season 4 — Apolo Ohno (2002-2010, short track speed skating) — WINNER, Clyde Drexler (1992, basketball)
Season 5 — Floyd Mayweather Jr. (1996, boxing)
Season 6 — Kristi Yamaguchi (1992, figure skating) — WINNER, Monica Seles (1996-2000, tennis)
Season 7 — Maurice Greene (2000-2004, track and field), Misty May-Treanor (2000-2012, volleyball)
Season 8 — Shawn Johnson (2008, gymnastics) — WINNER
Season 9 — Louie Vito (2010, snowboarding), Natalie Coughlin (2004-2012, swimming)
Season 10 — Evan Lysacek (2006-2010, figure skating)
Season 12 — Sugar Ray Leonard (1976, boxing)
Season 13 — Hope Solo (2004-2016, soccer)
Season 14 — Martina Navratilova (2004, tennis)
Season 15 — Shawn Johnson, Apolo Ohno
Season 16 — Dorothy Hamill (1976, figure skating), Aly Raisman (2012, 2016, gymnastics)
Season 18 — Meryl Davis (2010-2014, figure skating) — WINNER, Charlie White (2010-2014, figure skating), Amy Purdy (2014, snowboarding)
Season 19 — Lolo Jones (2008, 2012, 2014, track and field/bobsled)
Season 20 — Nastia Liukin (2008, gymnastics)
Season 23 — Laurie Hernandez (2016, gymnastics) -- WINNER, Ryan Lochte (2004-2016, swimming)
So proud @lzhernandez02 💚💚💚💚 @DancingABC #dwts
— Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) November 23, 2016
@lzhernandez02 CONGRATS BABE ✨❤️👑so incredibly proud of you! ILOVEYOU @DancingABC #dwts
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) November 23, 2016
