Nov. 23, 2016 – 2016 Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy were named the winners of the 23rd season of Dancing with the Stars Tuesday night. She is the second gymnast to win and the youngest ever champion.
On Tuesday night, the second night of the finale, Hernandez and Chmerkovskiy danced a Foxtrot and Argentine Tango fusion dance (video) and received a perfect score of 40 from the judges. After tabulating judges’ votes and fan voting, Laurie and Val were declared champions. IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe came in second followed by former NFL wide receiver Calvin Johnson in third.
Hernandez is the fourth gymnast to compete on Dancing with the Stars. Shawn Johnson won the competition in 2009 (also competed in a 2012 All-Star edition, coming in second), Aly Raisman finished fourth in 2013 and Nastia Liukin placed fourth in 2015.
Click here to relive Laurie and Val’s journey to the Dancing with the Stars title.