At the other end of Olympic Park, the USA women’s gymnastics team captured a second straight gold with a high-flying and dominating performance.
Advertisement
Karolyi’s lineup was expertly cast, in a format that calls for three gymnasts from each team in each event, with every score counting. China’s Shang Chunsong said her team “aimed for the silver medal”, a position the Chinese seemed to have in hand until stumbling on the final rotation.
With Biles earning a score of 15.800, the American team has captured the gold medal with a almost 8-point margin.
The race never got closer than that the rest of the way. After a small stumble by Raisman on the balance beam, the team quickly recovered with strong performances on the beam by Hernandez and Biles.
Her final pass ends in a landing that is exactly in time with the music’s dramatic drum climax, and Biles finishes on the floor. Among the well-wishers were Amanda Borden, who won gold as part of Magnificent Seven at the 1996 Atlanta #Olympics; Kerri Strug, who literally vaulted her way into American sports history at the 1996 games; and 2008 Olympic all-around gold medalist Nastia Liukin.
Then the lights came on, and just like that, the young women in the glittery red-and-blue leotards relaxed, then dominated on bars, on uneven bars and on vault and floor, too.
The team then moved to bars, where Douglas scored a 15.766. Raisman and Biles kicked it off on vault, soaring so high above the table the people in the first few rows had to crane their necks to watch them. There were a few wobbles here and there, even for Biles, but those imperfections did not stop them winning the title by a massive 8.209 points over second placed Russian Federation. Biles gave the United States an incredible 10-point advantage over second-place China in qualification on Sunday, prior the team’s final on Tuesday.
On the podium basked the self-described “Final Five” proteges of the immigrant US national team coordinator coach, Marta Karolyi – an exuberant, close-knit group that further reflected the tapestry that makes America what it is.
“I’m surprised we didn’t cry”, Aly Raisman said. On the uneven bars – Madison Kocian and Gabby Douglas. It didn’t sit well with the American superstar, who got off to a rousing start to the Rio Games by leading the 4×100 freestyle team to gold.
Within a year, the Americans were winning medals in bunches and they haven’t stopped since. She could well take home gold in each of those individual events and is expected to cruise to the all-around title later in the Games.
The only hardware missing for Biles – who wasn’t eligible to compete in the 2012 Olympics in London because of her age – is an Olympic medal. Recap their historic day with these 19 photos from the women’s gymnastics team final and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
“I regret that I wasn’t more clear in my wording on the air”, Trautwig said in a statement. So that’s two more the USA could claim.
But a new generation of USA athletes is ready to take up the banner of Olympic standard-bearer from Phelps, a grizzled veteran at 31.
At the 2012 London Summer Olympics, Gabby won gold medals in both the team and individual all-around competitions.
The team finished with a bang on the floor.
Advertisement
The US finished with a score of 184.897 – eight points better than second-place China.
