December 2024 Issue! Our Friend STEVE!

Features Sneak Peek!

2024 has been one of the most epic years ever for the sport of gymnastics. The year kicked off with a thrilling NCAA season that saw record viewership on television, unprecedented exposure and interaction on social media and sold-out arenas coast to coast. Before we had a chance to catch our collective breath from that excitement, it was on to the qualification process for the 2024 Olympic Games. It brought many unexpected twists and turns, including some very unfortunate injuries and heartbreaks along the way. Ultimately, some absolutely stacked teams of talent and personality prevailed around the globe.

Team USA was at the head of the class heading into Paris, headlined by two Olympic Champions. Each member of that team had tremendous talent and a unique backstory that was so compelling, the public could not help but feel connected. USA re-ascended to the top of the podium for gold in the team competition and established themselves as one of the most formidable teams of all time. And we were blessed to witness the greatness of Simone Biles, the best to ever take to the stage, competing skills – like the Yurchenko double pike – that were once unimaginable. The Games left us with so many indelible moments that will not only be memorable, but are already inspiring future generations. From Rebeca Andrade becoming Brazil’s most decorated Olympic athlete to pommel horse hero Stephen Nedoroscik becoming the most-memable and memorable star of Paris, history was made and hearts were moved.

Before our Team left to cover the Games in Paris, we had a discussion about what an incredible time we were witnessing in the sport and how we wanted to be intentional in our effort to be ‘present’ throughout the Games. We would go above and beyond, working around the clock to provide the absolute best coverage of the Games for our readers and followers, as we always do. But we would also be cognizant to enjoy the moment, soak in the atmosphere and enjoy and appreciate the brilliant display of gymnastics we were fortunate to cover.

If I’m being honest, several of the high-profile events we’ve been fortunate to cover through the years — from World Championships to Olympic Games — became a blur in my mind because of the fast-paced nature of going 24/7 at an event, working to deliver the absolute best for Inside Nation, that I’ve forgotten to go that extra step of appreciating and soaking in the moment. In recent years, I’ve realized that with a simple mindset shift of intention and focus on being present, it doesn’t have to be an either/or situation. It can be both.

My holiday wish for all is that we take more time in our lives to be present, enjoy the moment, appreciate all that we’re experiencing and those we’re fortunate to experience it with. More than ever, I’m thankful for our incredible team, the beautiful sport and the inspiring people whose journeys we’re able to share with so many. Cheers to a beautiful holiday season and a fulfilling 2025 ahead. All the best to you and yours!

Christopher Korotky

Plus! We asked, you voted, and the results are in! As we celebrate the sport we love in this Olympic Year, we are so excited to present your selections for our 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards. The issue also features in-depth interviews with Samantha Peszek, Vanessa Zamarripa, and our Fab 15 NCAA artistic student-athletes! And, check out all of our up front features including Shannon Says, In the Know with John Roethlisberger, Chalking Up, Inside Buzz, Industry Insider, and a bonus People, Places, and Faces!

Finding Balance

The 2024 Paris Olympics were the culmination of lifelong dreams for thousands of athletes. But if you tuned in to NBC’s primetime gymnastics coverage, you heard someone else achieving their dream, not on the competition floor, but in the broadcast booth, sixteen years after her own Olympic triumph. The expert analysis and female perspective on the competition was from 2008 Olympic team silver medalist and NCAA champion Samantha Peszek.

Trailblazer!

When we launched Inside Gymnastics magazine in 2002, our goal was to share a glimpse into the lives of some of the world’s most incredible athletes. And our focus was to go beyond the competition floor to show their impact on the outside world as well. In our two decades plus of covering the sport, we’ve been fortunate to showcase some incredibly talented and well-accomplished gymnasts. As much as accolades and resumes can be impressive, it’s really the true character and personalities that inspire us most. An artist and trailblazer, one athlete in particular we were fortunate to cover in her competitive days and see shine on and off the competition floor is Vanessa Zamarripa.

A three-time Level 10 National Champion, Zamarripa went on to have an incredibly successful NCAA career at UCLA. There, she scored a whopping nine ‘Perfect 10s’ on vault and was part of that epic 2010 National Championship team that really delivered some breathtaking performances and thrillingly memorable moments. She also leapt into the Elite scene that same year and was one of the rare athletes in that timeframe that competed both NCAA and Elite.

Plus!

+ All of our regular features including:

• Inside Buzz
• Chalking Up 
• Breaking Down the Code 
• People, Places and Faces
• Shannon Says
• My Gymnastics Journal!
• Industry Insider
• & More!!!

Photos by Ricardo Bufolin and Lloyd Smith for Inside Gymnastics