The final two members of the US Olympic Team going to Rio is reigning Olympic all-around gold medalist Gabby Douglas and reigning world uneven bars champion Madison Kocian.
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The team is chosen through a mixture of scores and opinions-the victor of the Olympic trials (Simone Biles) automatically gets a spot, while the remaining four members (and three alternates) are chosen by a selection committee.
Sunday concluded the two-night U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Olympic Trials.
“It’s so heartbreaking when they announce the alternates because everybody deserves to go”, Raisman said. The Texan won on the uneven bars at the Olympic Trials.
How do you think Team USA will do in Rio?
Simone Biles goes to the Rio Olympics with a shot at cementing her status as the greatest female gymnast of all time. “So no heart attacks will take place in this arena tonight”.
And so, she started slow, never made up ground against victor Tori Bowie or second-place Deajah Stevens and could not hold off Prandini, the former University of or star who had to wait about 30 seconds to see the result for third place go up on the board. Battling it out with fellow bars specialist Ashton Locklear for one spot on the team, Kocian had a season-best score of 15.900 on that event.
Biles nailed near-perfect vaults twice at SAP Center.
“My whole career, this is the hardest decision I’ve had to make”, national team coordinator Martha Karolyi said.
Karolyi wanted to see strides from Raisman on floor exercise, beam and vault and was clearly convinced the 2012 USA captain at the London Games and defending Olympic champion on floor is poised for a strong run in Rio. She won the Olympic trials all-around, making her place on the team the only secure spot.
“Just when we thought we were at the physical limit of the sport, then here comes Simone Biles”, Retton said per ESPN. “I’ll probably [feel] a thousand emotions at once”, she explained. “It’s just a special bond”. She wanted the team that gives the United States the best chance to win the Olympic gold medal, and that includes Douglas. She appears to be smiling. But surprisingly, she came back in the game with a bang in 2015. After landing awkwardly on an exercise ball while doing core work, she rolled her right ankle.
“There’s always tension until you hear your name”, said Hernandez, who is a month past her 16th birthday.
Having such a diverse team means thousands of little girls can turn on the TV this Summer and see young women who look them accomplishing their dreams. She is likely to return in four years and attempt to make the 2020 team. In the meantime, watch Raisman’s parents try to keep their cool during the London Olympics.
So, this Rio trip was no guarantee in the short, ever-diminishing window that can define elite gymnastics.
She showed grit in coming back from a deflating first round, where she shockingly fell from the beam on a routine spin move.
Nichols said Friday that the precious training time she missed while rehabbing her knee may have set her back among her teammates. “And am I on the team?” She sealed the deal by placing first at the USA Olympic Gymnastic Trials.
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“I fought as hard as I could”, Smith said.
