In any case, the US will be favored to jump, flip and twist away with a lion’s share of medals at the women’s gymnastics competition in Rio.
Advertisement
Aly Raisman competes on the balance beam during the women’s U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, July 10, 2016.
Douglas had a rough competition on the first night of Olympic trials.
Douglas began making history in 2012, when she became the first USA athlete to win both team and all-around gold medals at the London Olympics.
She made the Olympic team-all but the top finisher at trials are coaches’ selections-but in the past month she went from automatic choice to one with an asterisk. At 22 years old, Raisman is the veteran of the side. She’s still a threat to medal on floor where her first pass roundoff-back handspring-back one and a half twist-stepout-roundoff-back handspring-Arabian double front-punch front layout-is enough tumbling to fill up an entire routine. “I didn’t realize how much mentally and physically older I got in the past four years, so looking back at this little girl watching the Olympics on her phone, I would never think I’d be here right now”.
Teammate and three-time world champion Simone Biles wasted no time with a witty response: “We’re too young to die. So no heart attacks will take place in this arena tonight”. Raisman estimates she’s done her boundary-pushing floor exercise “8 million times”, which in her mind is only a slight exaggeration. Attending the Game alongside them just a few years later, she said, is “incredible”.
With the most seniority on the team, Raisman made her debut in 2010 and earned three medals at the London 2012 Olympic Games-two Gold and a Bronze.
“It’s just incredible because she’s so strong”, Douglas said of Raisman.
Joining them on the team is this year’s breakthrough star Laurie Hernandez. “It’s just a special bond”.
And now there will be the five women on 2016 squad, which could be the most talented team yet.
“I hit that (gold-medal winning) vault when I had to”, Retton said with a laugh while pointing out that at 48 she’s already had both hips replaced.
How she did it: The final spot on the team always appeared to be between Madison Kocian and Ashton Locklear. “We have tomorrow off, then it’s back in the gym”. Despite her area of expertise, Kocian is expected to contribute to the other events as well. Hernandez was the surprise standout of the trials, with a memorably energetic floor routine and consistent routines on the three other events over the two-day competition, making it clear she’s ready for a shot at the Olympics. Same for vaults. In the weeks leading up to the Games, be certain that Karolyi and crew will be helping Douglas to improve.
Raisman stepped out on her first floor pass but recovered and scored a 15.050, offering waves in every direction of the arena as she stepped down from the floor. The 2012 team called themselves the “Fierce Five” and the 1996 team was dubbed “The Magnificent Seven”. It is an accomplishment she will celebrate, and once her long day was done Sunday, she let down her guard and let the emotions flow.
She said this week she’ll likely focus on the 5,000 alone in Brazil. “I was so nervous this competition”.
Biles is a three-time, all-around world champion and is considered by many to be the “greatest female gymnast ever”, according to the Team USA website.
“I feel bad that I’m supposed to be inspiring them and they don’t even want to do it anymore”, Raisman said.
Advertisement
“Thank you for not giving up on me and I’m just going to really prove to her and everyone that I deserve to be on this team”.
