"Just watching them kill it"- Joscelyn Roberson weighs in on Simone Biles & team USA's performance during gymnastics qualification at Paris Olympics

By Agnijeeta Majumder

Modified Jul 29, 2024 03:19 GMT

Joscelyn Roberson, the traveling alternate of the Team USA gymnastics team, lauded the performances of her teammates in the women's qualification - subdivision 2. Though she was couldn't feel their nerves while they performed, her nerves were going through the roof on watching them.

Joscelyn Roberson, the 18-year-old who trains alongside the gymnastic great Simone Biles at the World Champions Center, made her senior debut at the 2022 Winter Cup, sweeping the vault gold in the first meet.

Roberson was selected for the vault at the 2023 World Championships. However, she injured her ankle while warming up on the vault and was forced to withdraw from the competition. Nevertheless, she was a part of the US team's seventh World title win.

Roberson entered the Paris Olympics as the traveling alternate of the US women's gymnastics team. Although she was sitting higher up, her cheers reached the US girls who performed, especially gym mate Simone Biles. Joscelyn Roberson also shared that she was happy to see the team come together at the end, having qualified for the finals with 172.296, according to a reporter's X post.

"I was so nervous and sitting so high up, it was hard. I didn't get their nerves cause I was so high up but I was getting my own nerves. Just watching them kill it and come together at the end, it was amazing to watch," she said. (via Jala Washington X)

Simone Biles topped the all-around with a score of 59.566, besides earning podiums in the floor, vault, and balance beam. At the 2024 US Olympic Trials, Roberson missed making the Olympic team by a fraction. Thus she was chosen as the traveling alternate alongside Leanne Wong.

She signed with the college team Arkansas Razorbacks for 2024-25.

Joscelyn Roberson prepped herself to jump to rescue at any point at the Olympics

Joscelyn Roberson shared that she was preparing herself to jump in action at any point of time as an alternate, which according to her is a 'hard spot to be in'.

"I feel like it's a hard spot to be in. I'm so excited about it, but I'm just staying focused and honestly pretending like I am going to compete at any moment because I really could," Roberson said. (via NBC News)

The Texarkana native added:

"If anything happens, I'll be ready."

After the Olympics, the 18-year-old will look to get matriculated at the University of Arkansas, training under the guidance of the 'Fierce Five' gold medalists, Kyla Ross and Jordyn Wieber.

Roberson hinted at her return to the Olympics in 2028, slated to take place in Los Angeles.