"Wanted to be just like her" - Aly Raisman lauds former Olympic gold medalist Carly Patterson

Aly Raisman recently expressed her love and reverence for the 2004 Olympic gold medalist Carly Patterson.

Patterson competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. The 36-year-old enjoyed a successful run in Athens, securing a gold medal in the individual all-around and two silver medals in the team and balance beam event.

Raisman recently shared a picture of the two, expressing her admiration for Patterson. The three-time Olympic champion secured two gold medals at the 2012 Olympic Games in the team and floor exercise event and a bronze medal in the balance beam event.

Three summers later, she secured another gold medal with the team and two silver medals in all-around and floor exercise events at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Raisman shared a selfie with Patterson and wrote a heartfelt caption, crediting the latter for her illustrious career.

"@carlypatterson04 is the best 🥹," wrote Raisman. "Carly has ALWAYS supported me & been so kind to me. I remember watching her compete in 2004 & wanted to be just like her 🥰"

Patterson retired from the sport in 2006 after remaining dormant post the Olympics, citing back issues that were later diagnosed as spinal disc herniation.

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"It's such an enjoyable and special experience" - Aly Raisman on her first children's book

Aly Raisman authors her first kids' book "From My Head to My Toes."

Former Olympian and a staunch mental health advocate, Aly Raisman recently published her new book "From My Head to My Toes" on April 2, 2024, which highlights several subjects, including consent and body autonomy.

The book guides children in identifying the signals for potential physical threats. She announced the news on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote,

"My first children’s book FROM MY HEAD TO MY TOES launched TODAY!!!!! So grateful for this incredible opportunity! I can’t believe it’s already a bestseller. Thank YOU. Wow!!"

Furthermore, in an interview with ABC News, Raisman disclosed that writing the book was a unique experience from all her previous advocacy initiatives.

"It's so interesting, I feel like out of all the advocacy stuff that I have done, I think that this is by far the most enjoyable because it's fun and to be able to have a kids' event in a couple of days and I get to do a reading with kids. It's such an enjoyable and special experience and because I don't have to deeply talk about my own personal experience that I have done so much over the last several years."