Earlier this year, I wrote that it was great to have stars like Gabby Douglas and Jordyn Wieber on your team, but that you also needed a rock. Aly Raisman has been that rock for team USA since her senior debut in 2010. She has gone out routine after routine, meet after meet, year after year and hit her routines. Over those years, she has always been in her teammates’ shadows. In the 2010 World Championships, she qualified into the All-Around Finals in third, just behind the current USA “It Girl”, Rebecca Bross. A disasterous mistake on bars, her nemesis, left her 13th. In the 2011 World Championships, she qualified into the All-Around Finals in fourth, also behind the current USA “It Girl”, this time Jordyn Wieber.  Another mistake on bars left her fourth.

This year, Aly came in with upgrades on every event, and has even improved on bars. But her lower difficulty on bars usually left her about a point behind Gabby Douglas and Jordyn Wieber. She continued to be the rock, they continued to be the stars.

I often mused with friends about how Aly could legitimately challenge for the All-Around podium if it wasn’t for that awful two per country rule. I lamented the fact that after all her consistency and team leadership, she wouldn’t even get to compete in the All-Around Finals.  After all, it was inconceivable that Jordyn wouldn’t qualify, and Gabby has looked stronger than ever in training.

But the inconceivable became reality today as Aly was the highest US All-Around qualifier over BOTH Gabby and Jordyn. With the two per country rule, this means that Jordyn Wieber, the reigning Word Champion will not get to compete in the All-Around Finals. In my All-Around Hopefuls post I wrote: Aly would need someone else to make a mistake to make it into the finals and onto the podium. But her rock solid, consistent performances make her a gymnast you should not count out. After all, anything can happen in the pressure of the Olympic spotlight.

There was no one more surprised than Aly herself in qualifying in first. Over the years she has captured our heart with her humble attitude, sky high tumbling, sweet smile and loyal friendships with the other gymnasts. She continued to do so today, with a response of concern for her teammate and best friend Jordyn Wieber.

Today Aly becomes a star herself. The last two years, the only routines she ever missed on a world stage were bars in All-Around competition. If she can go out in All-Around Finals and be the rock for herself that she always is for her team, she will no longer be Aly the Rock. She will be Aly the Rock Star.