Grace McCallum, 18, is one of the elite gymnasts competing for the U.S. at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The 5’3″ Minnesota native will join Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, and Sunisa “Suni” Lee as they compete for the American gymnasts’ third consecutive team gold.

Here’s everything to know about her road to the Olympics and plans for the future.

McCallum dreamed of competing in the Olympics as a kid.

From her first gymnastics class, McCallum knew she wanted to go to the Olympics. “Ever since I started, I knew I wanted to go to the Olympics; that was my dream. That’s every little kid’s dream, though,” McCallum told CBS Minnesota.

McCallum plans to attend the University of Utah after the Olympics.

In November 2020, McCallum signed with the University of Utah, U.S. teammate MyKayla Skinner’s alma mater. In an interview with KARE 11, McCallum spoke about why she choose Utah.

“It kind of felt like home right away. I love the program…I love the atmosphere and how hard the girls work. The school itself had everything I wanted,” she said. The gymnast also said she’s interested in the school’s medical program. “I want to go into the medical field because, as gymnasts, we already know so much about how bodies. I want to help athletes in any way that I can after [gymnastics].”

McCallum shared the exciting news on Instagram. She posted a gallery of photos of her signing to her dream college and a photo of her, her sister, and younger brothers holding up a Utah “U”. “So excited to officially be a Utah Ute! I can’t thank my family and coaches enough for everything they’ve done for me. Thank you for all of your love and support. Go Utes!🙌❤️,” McCallum captioned the post.

After her Olympics run, she plans to start school in the fall.

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McCallum is a two-time World Championships gold medalist.

In 2018 and 2019, McCallum was selected to compete on the World Championship team and won two gold medals back-to-back.

At the Olympic Trials, McCallum placed fourth and was named the fourth person to join the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team. USA Gymnastics said of her selection, “Grace demonstrated consistency and resilience across both days of competition at the Olympic Trials, hitting all eight routines. In addition, her past international experience and success as a member of the 2018 and 2019 World Championship gold-medal teams contributed to the committee’s final decision.”

She is best friends with Olympian Jade Carey.

On May 27, McCallum posted on Instagram to celebrate her best friend and Olympian teammate Jade Carey’s 21st birthday. “Happy 21st birthday to my best friend. i love youuu:),” McCallum captioned the post.

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She has an intense training routine.

In an interview with the All Things Gymnastics podcast, McCallum detailed the grueling gym routine that prepared her for the Olympics. “It depends on the time of the season and the time of year, but we’ll do skills or halves or routines, and we normally do conditioning at the end,” she said. A typical day consists of her working on all four events (vault, uneven bars, floor exercise, and balance beam) for about four to six hours.

McCallum overcame many obstacles to become an Olympian.

In 2016, McCallum was faced with a challenging setback as she shattered her elbow during a floor exercise tumbling pass. As she bounced high in the air for a one and a half twist backflip, she landed wrong and shattered her left elbow. McCallum, who was 13 at the time, told NBC Sports her first thought was, “Will I still be able to compete next weekend?” She would have to undergo surgery to repair two torn ligaments and damage to her forearm muscle.

“[The doctor] gave her about a 50 percent chance of coming back at the level she’s been at. Mostly because they didn’t know whether she’d ever gain full range of motion in her elbow again,” McCallum’s mother, Sandy, told the outlet.

But the injury didn’t stop her, and even when she couldn’t do gymnastics, McCallum worked on her flexibility and leg strength. Her coach told NBC she believes McCallum was inspired by Maggie Nicholas, a 2015 World champion and Twin Cities teammate, who returned to the sport after a meniscus tear in her right knee.

Sarah Jantzi, a coach from Twin City Twisters, said, “[McCallum] sat on the side watching Maggie Nichols coming off an injury trying to make it to Olympic Trials, being this close to making it onto an Olympic team. I think it drove her more,” per NBC. Seven months later, McCallum eased back into gymnastics while still working to regain full movement in her elbow before competing at her first senior nationals in 2018.

But unfortunately, McCallum suffered another injury just six months before the 2020 Olympic Trials. She fractured her hand, which required surgery and a plate to be placed in her hand. “I kind of thought my Olympic dreams went down the drain right then,” the gymnast told KARE 11. She decided that the fracture would not define her, so she kept working on her skills and conditioning. “She came in every day. She was on that treadmill running, on that bike pushing it,” Jantzi told the station.

McCallum also said, “I had days where I’d go up, and then I’d go down, and then I’d go up, and I’d go down. I really had to be patient with myself and trust that everything would work out.”

The support of her family means the world.

McCallum is the daughter of Sandy and Edward McCallum and has five siblings, Rachael, Madelyn, Joseph, John, and Xavier. In 2018, McCallum’s mom, Sandy, spoke with CBS Minnesota about how important the family’s support is, saying she’s only missed two of Grace’s meets. “I want her to know that her family is behind her one hundred percent. And even if all of us can’t be there, somebody will always be there supporting her,” she said.

McCallum’s parents’ dedication to helping their daughter reach her Olympic dreams started with driving her 45 minutes—sometimes twice a day—for practices. “There was never a moment of her not wanting to be in the gym or not wanting to do gymnastics,” Sandy McCallum told the station. “The hard work, and the injuries, and everything, nothing has ever held her back from wanting to go. I think when you see a passion in your child like that, the sacrifices are worth it. You just make it work.”

The gymnast also CBS Minnesota that her family members “are my number one supporters. They cheer for me so much.”

McCallum is a dog lover.

Coming back from her injuries, McCallum was determined to make the Worlds team and made a deal with her mom. If McCallum made the team, she could get a dog. McCallum was the second athlete announced for the World Championships team; she is now the proud dog owner of Hazel, a german Shepard-husky mix, and Bella. The dogs have an adorable Instagram.

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McCallum relies on her relationship with God.

In an interview earlier this month with Central Minnesota Catholic Magazine, McCallum opened up about her faith after her uncle John passed away in November after years of suffering from ALS. “That was really, really hard on our family. It took a while to process because he was such a big part of our lives,” McCallum said. “But I just tell myself I’m going to live like John. He lived life to its fullest. And he really, especially in those last couple of months, relied on God.”

When McCallum broke her hand in 2020, she also relied on her faith to carry her through. “I thought my Olympic dreams were down the drain, but then I thought, ‘No, you know what? Everything happens for a reason.’ I just have to trust God on this one and that he’s looking out for me,” she said.

In a 2019 interview with CMCM, McCallum’s mother said the gymnast travels with a rosary and a special cross from her grandmother. “She travels with those things to kind of bring her peace and calm. Grace won’t travel anywhere without them,” her mother told the outlet.

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