She made it look easy as hit 15.933 on the vault, followed by 14.800 on uneven bars, on which world champion Kocian gave a spectacular display of aerial acrobatics to lead the way with 15.933.
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Douglas’s reign as all-around champion is also set to come to an end having failed to even qualify for a chance to defend her crown, which is widely expected to be placed on Biles’ head. She took home three medals from the competition in Athens.
“It’s easy, really, because you take it one day at a time”, Biles said.
“It didn’t feel like the Olympics”.
“We’re the “Final Five” because this is Marta [Karolyi’s] last Olympics and without her none of this would’ve been possible”, Aly Raisman told Today.
The 2012 team with Mckayla Maroney, Kyla Ross, Alexandra Raisman, Gabby Douglas and Jordyn Wieber called itself the Fierce Five and won the gold. This time it was even wider.
The U.S. Men’s Basketball Team, featuring the Warriors’ Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and newly-added Kevin Durant, will battle former Warrior Andrew Bogut and the Australian National Team at 3 p.m. Russian Federation took home silver and China took bronze. She has impressed judges in competitions for her incredible skill, and owns a singularly hard dismount called the double double (now, “the Biles”) that only she can do. Other members of the 2012 and 2016 Olympic teams are also expected to perform.
Raisman finished 1.759 behind Biles with Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade a further two points back in qualifiers with the United States of America bidding for a one-two finish for the second time in after 2008. Biles stood out, as early on she twice wobbled on the 4-inch beam. Kocian, on the other hand, prefers country music to get her going. From Team USA, Biles will compete for individual medals on floor, vault and beam. Longtime coach, Martha Karolyi, is retiring.
There were a few wobbles, even for the normally unflappable Biles, but those imperfections did not stop them sweeping to victory by a massive 8.209 points over second-placed Russian Federation. The Final Five still would have won the gold.
To the backing of a samba beat, her awe-inducing and powerful tumbling brought the partisan crowd to its feet for a well-deserved ovation.
By the time Biles stepped onto the competition podium to close the show, the lead was effectively insurmountable.
After more than a century, golf returns to the Olympics on Thursday.
According to her bio on the Team USA website, teamusa.org, Biles was homeschooled.
The victory had the feeling of a culmination.
“It marks the start of what could be a gold rush for the 19-year-old Biles, who is bidding to become the first gymnast to win five gold medals at a single Games”.
But Rio is not done with them yet.
Don’t forget to check back over the course of the next two weeks for the latest news from the Rio Olympics including additional coverage of the Women’s Gymnastics events.
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To say the USA women crushed it would be an understatement.
