Gymnastics fans are often shocked at just how small some of their favorite athletes are. Team USA fans have gotten exposure to this over the years by watching Simone Biles in competition, but another pint-sized gymnast might capture their attention at the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials.
That would be Joscelyn Roberson. The senior team member affectionately known by her nickname of "Josc" is fighting to compete in the 2024 Olympics, and she's hoping she can perform well enough on the vault to earn a look as a potential Olympic team member or alternate.
Roberson's size is an asset to her on the vault, as her small stature allows her to fly through the air and land moves with a consistency difficult to achieve.
Just how tall is Roberson? Here's what to know about the 18-year-old gymnast as she fights to make it to the Olympics for the first time.
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How tall is Joscelyn Roberson?
USA Gymnastics doesn't officially list Roberson's height, but several sources — including Gymnastics Now — cite her as standing at just 4-8. That ties her as the shortest gymnast at the U.S. team trials with Simone Biles (at least among gymnasts with a listed height).
Roberson's smaller stature is part of the reason she ended up becoming a gymnast. Her older siblings, Jami and Jackson, both started playing T-ball when Roberson was three, as she explained to FloGymnastics.com. She wanted to play a sport, as well, so after a temper tantrum, her parents signed her up for gymnastics.
Gymnasts tend to be on the smaller size — for reference, 5-3 Grace McCallum was Team USA's tallest gymnast at the 2021 Olympics — so the fit proved to be a good one for Roberson. Her natural climbing ability, penchant for cartwheels and ability to execute flips helped her to quickly develop into a top-tier gymnast with Olympic aspirations that she is hoping to realize in 2024 — or perhaps 2028.
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How old is Joscelyn Roberson?
Roberson is just 18 years old. She was born Feb. 8, 2006, in Texarkana, Texas. She established herself as an elite gymnast early in her life and competed in junior-level national competitions beginning at age 13.
Roberson became a senior-level international gymnast after she turned 16. She won gold on the vault at the 2023 U.S. Championships, and her skills on that apparatus are what earned her one of 16 invites to the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials.
Roberson could challenge for an alternate bid to Paris, but she isn't considered likely to crack the five-woman team. Jade Carey— a vault and floor specialist who is older and more experienced than Roberson — will likely draw into that role for Team USA.
Still, Roberson is plenty young enough that she could aim for a roster spot in the 2028 Olympics if she chooses to continue training at the highest level.
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Joscelyn Roberson college
Roberson is at least planning to continue her gymnastics career in college. She is set to attend Arkansas, where she will be the first-ever national team member and world champion to compete for the Razorbacks, according to the school's website.
Roberson attributed her decision to attend Arkansas to her idolization of Jordyn Wieber, a 2012 Olympian who is now the head gymnastics coach for the Razorbacks.
Wieber, 28, could help to coax even more potential out of the uber-talented Roberson as Arkansas competes in the SEC, which has been the home to gymnasts like Suni Lee, Leanne Wong, and Trinity Thomas in recent seasons.
