The best gymnast in the world is currently Gabrielle Douglas, a member of the US Gymnastics Team at the 2012 London Olympics. She took the individual gold. She is also the first woman of color and African-American to win individual gold in the Olympics.
Shawn Johnson is one of the best American Gymnasts. Nastia Liukin is very good too. But, Nadia Comaneci was the first gymnast to get a perfect 10 in Olympic Gymnast history.
Olga Korbut is the best gymnast. She is from Russia. But that's just an opinion.
The best women gymnast in the world is beth tweddle.
Nadia Comaneci
Alexander Gillen
Nastia LiukinNastia Liukin (USA) won the Women's individual all-around Olympic gold medal.
Florence G
Mckenzie Parrish
Becoming an elite gymnast is usually the result of being a competitive gymnast for several years. It takes a lot of practice. As an elite gymnast, you are the best. You sacrifice all other things in your life for practicing gymnastics. It is not something you can just wake up and say, "I want to be an elite gymnast". You first have to be a gymnast, then a competitive gymnast, then an elite. Usually the elite gymnasts do not choose to be an elite gymnast, but the coaches choose them to be an elite.
First U.S female gymnast to get the gold medal was Julianne McNamara.
Nadia Comanecci