Women's gymnastics is changing in more ways than one

After the U.S. Gymnastics Championships last weekend, many of the headlines focused on Simone Biles, who had just won a record eighth title.

But looking at the top finishers more broadly, it's clear that elite women's gymnastics is changing in some big ways — in terms of race, age and collegiate competition — and moving the sport forward.

The top six women at the meet were Black or Asian American. On the men's side, too, the top three were Black or Asian American.

It's a far cry from the 1980s and '90s, say Betty Okino and Dominique Dawes. They were the first African American Olympic gymnastics medalists, as part of the bronze-winning 1992 team in Barcelona.

"Back in the '90s and '80s when I was competing, there were not a lot of women of color in the sport of gymnastics," Dawes, now 46, tells NPR. "And I know whenever I would go to competitions and represent the U.S., I was one of very few African Americans