Old Bridge's most famous 16 year old, gymnast Laurie Hernandez, will represent the U.S. in Rio.
OLD BRIDGE -- Laurie Hernandez, who won a spot on the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team Sunday night, is the talk of her hometown.
"She's the talk of the town," "We're ecstatic," Old Bridge Mayor Owen Henry said of Hernandez's selection to represent the U.S. in Rio. "It's a very good feeling."
Henry said no matter where he went Monday in the township, all he heard or was asked about was 16-year-old Laurie Hernandez.
"It seems everyone was watching this weekend," the mayor said. "We're so proud of her. She has so much talent. When I watched her I told someone I knew she had to make the team she's so good. What she does is almost scary."
A congratulatory sign waits for Laurie Hernandez when she returns home to Old Bridge. Henry said he is working to arrange an event that will serve as a welcome home and a sendoff at the same time for Hernandez.
"We want her to know the town's behind her," the mayor said.
He said it'll be at Old Bridge High School, but the time is still tentative because Hernandez and her family haven't arrived home yet.
"There won't be any gymnastics," Henry said. "We'll have T-shirts, flowers. She'll sign autographs. People will come out to give her their good wishes. We are so very proud of her."
Her neighborhood was showing its pride and wishing her well for the Olympic trials. Signs had been planted all around her home, urging her on.
"Go Laurie," they said, hoping to give her the extra something to help the hometown teenager make the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team.
Signs in Old Bridge cheer on hometown hero Laurie Hernandez. A "Welcome Home" poster will greet the Hernandez family on their garage door for when they get home Monday night from Oregon.
"We have a saying around here -- Old Bridge proud," said Amanda Janks, who was visiting her mother-in-law down the street from the Hernandez home. "This definitely made everyone Old Bridge proud last night (Sunday night)."
June Dungee, who was just sworn in as the township's new councilwoman, replacing the late Reggie Butler who died last month, said she watched the Olympic trials to see how Hernandez was doing.
"We are so very proud of her," Dungee said. "I want to congratulate her and her family. We are looking forward to her bringing back gold to Old Bridge Township."
She said she thought that Hernandez deserved a parade in town.
"Oh Yes, definitely," Dungee said. "We are so proud."
Laurie Hernandez began taking gymnastics lessons when she was five years old, but, according to an interview, she became serious about the sport when she was seven.
Hernandez, who only began competing at the senior level of her sport this year, had the second highest all-around score in the competition for positions on the U.S. team over the weekend in Oregon-121.15.
She has already committed to attending the University of Florida, according to an interview with the New York Times.
Hernandez has had the same coach for the last 10 years--Maggie Haney and has trained at the Monmouth Gymnastics Academy in Morganville, a section of Marlboro, for most of that time.
She has been home schooled since the third grade and began junior competition in 2012 and quickly began winning medals,finishing second in the all-around in 2013, according to the article on nbcolympics.com
She became eligible for the Olympics on her 16th birthday June 9.
Hernandez lives with her parents, Anthony and Wanda, and a brother, Marcus, and sister, Jelysa.
Let's go Laurie Hernandez! Keep making Old Bridge proud! #TeamLaurie
-- KOSB (@ob_kosb) July 11, 2016
Old Bridge now has 3 famous residents. Junot Diaz, Vitamin C, and Laurie Hernandez! https://t.co/kdT9bBCIXN
-- Dan Kenny (@sayheyDK) July 11, 2016
they should change the old bridge geotag to a picture of laurie hernandez
-- hope (@xhopeee) July 11, 2016
Sue Epstein may be reached at sepstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @susan_epstein. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Staff writer Kate Mishkin contributed to this story.