Hillary Heron the Panamanian Artistic Gymnast – 2024 Paris Olympics

Latina athletes have undoubtedly made their mark on the sports world.  Hillary Alexandra Heron Soto is a Panamanian artistic gymnast. She is the 2023 South American champion and the 2021 Pan American silver medalist on vault.  She represented Panama at the 2024 Summer Olympics and Made History at World Artistic Gymnastics Championships and performed one of the most difficult vaults named after world-famous gymnast Simon Biles, during her floor exercise. Heron is now the first non-U.S. athlete to land the double layout with a half twist and the first gymnast in history other than Biles to perform it in a FIG international competition.  “Well, like I grew up watching her, so it’s like mind-blowing and I’m just so honored to be able to do this. Like, I remember seeing her when she created the skill and I was like, oh my God, how is that possible?” she said in an interview. “When my coach told me, like, okay, we’re gonna try the Biles, I was like what’s he thinking? But like, I actually tried and it went well and it’s actually a very fun skill to try and I’m very honored to be able to do it.”  She is the only woman after Simone Biles to perform Biles I.  Hillary Heron in action: https://hiplatina.com/hillary-heron-makes-history/