Caption: Screengrab from Laurie Hernandez Twitter account
LOS ANGELES — Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez can add a “Dancing with the Stars” crown to her 2016 haul after winning the 23rd season of the ABC reality competition.
The 16-year-old gymnast took home the Mirrorball Trophy after the conclusion of a two-episode finale Tuesday night. Hernandez and partner Val Chmerkovskiy received a perfect score for one of their dances during the finale and 38 points out of a possible 40 for another.
They beat out Canadian race car driver James Hinchcliffe and his partner, Sharna Burgess, for the crown. Former NFL star wide receiver Calvin Johnson and partner Lindsay Arnold came in third.
Hernandez told host Tom Bergeron that the trophy is another step in her goal to “inspire others” as she goes on with her journey. TVJ