The American gymnast you’re looking for is Laurie Hernandez. 🏅

She is an American artistic gymnast of Puerto Rican descent, born June 9, 2000, in New Jersey, and she became the first athlete born in the 21st century to win an Olympic gold medal when she helped the U.S. women’s team (the “Final Five”) win gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

So, to answer the question directly:
Which American gymnast of Puerto Rican descent is the first athlete born in the 21st century to win an Olympic gold medal?
✅ Laurie Hernandez.

Quick Scoop: Who Is Laurie Hernandez?

Laurie Hernandez is an American artistic gymnast, proudly of Puerto Rican heritage through both of her parents, and she grew up in New Jersey.

She burst onto the global stage at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she competed as part of Team USA alongside Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman, and Madison Kocian.

Key facts:

  • Full name: Lauren Zoe Hernandez
  • Born: June 9, 2000, Old Bridge Township / New Brunswick area, New Jersey
  • Heritage: Puerto Rican parents; U.S.-born Hispanic gymnast
  • Discipline: Women’s artistic gymnastics

Why She’s a “First” of the 21st Century

The specific milestone in your question is about athletes born after the year 2000.

  • Laurie Hernandez was born in 2000 , making her part of the first wave of athletes literally born in the 21st century.
  • At the 2016 Rio Olympics , she won:
    • Gold medal in the team event with the U.S. women’s team
* Silver medal on **balance beam** as an individual
  • Educational resources and quiz-style explanations explicitly state that she is the American gymnast of Puerto Rican descent who is the first athlete born in the 21st century to win an Olympic gold medal.

Some profiles also highlight that she was among the first generation of 21st‑century-born athletes to become Olympic champions , underlining how young she was when she made history in Rio—just days after turning 16.

Mini Timeline: From Gym Kid to Olympic Gold

  • 2000 – Born in New Jersey to Puerto Rican parents.
  • 2005 – Starts practicing gymnastics at a young age and quickly rises through the U.S. system.
  • 2012–2015 – Competes as a junior at national level; wins the junior all‑around title at the U.S. Classic and U.S. nationals in 2015.
  • 2016 – Selected to the U.S. Olympic team, part of the “Final Five”; wins team gold and beam silver at the Rio Games.
  • Post‑Rio – Becomes a popular public figure, including appearances on TV and being celebrated as a Latina and Puerto Rican‑heritage role model in sports.

Table: Core Details at a Glance

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Detail Laurie Hernandez
Who fits the question? American gymnast of Puerto Rican descent, first athlete born in the 21st century to win Olympic gold
Full name Lauren Zoe Hernandez
Birthdate June 9, 2000
Birthplace New Jersey, USA (New Brunswick / Old Bridge Township)
Heritage Puerto Rican parents; U.S.-born Hispanic gymnast
Main sport Women’s artistic gymnastics
Olympic highlight Gold in team event, silver on balance beam at 2016 Rio Olympics

Why This Has Been a Trending Trivia Question

This particular fact has become popular in quizzes, classroom questions, and online trivia because it combines:

  • A clear milestone (first 21st‑century‑born Olympic gold medalist).
  • Representation of Latina and Puerto Rican heritage on a major global stage.
  • A recognizable, charismatic young athlete whose performances in Rio and subsequent media presence kept her in the public eye.

So if you see this question pop up in school worksheets, trivia apps, or forum quizzes:

“Which American gymnast of Puerto Rican descent is the first athlete born in the 21st century to win an Olympic gold medal?”

The correct answer is: Laurie Hernandez. ✅

TL;DR:
The American gymnast of Puerto Rican descent who became the first athlete born in the 21st century to win an Olympic gold medal is Laurie Hernandez , thanks to her team gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics. 🏅

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.