Spring’s Simone Biles and Aly Raisman won gold and silver respectively in the women’s individual all-around final today.
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Raisman and Biles became only the second pair of American women gymnasts to win the top two medals in the all-around competition.
However, Biles, with her fingernails and eyelids colored gold, far and away exceeded that, earning the best scores in the balance beam, floor exercises and vault.
Mustafina defended her 2012 Olympic bronze medal and in doing so, became the first all-around medalist to win back-to-back Olympic all-around medals since 2000.
Biles took gold ahead of U.S. teammate Aly Raisman and Russia’s Aliya Mustafina after finishing off with a dazzling floor routine.
Perhaps the best part of the note was what Hernandez and Kocian called Raisman: “Mama Aly”, which is a nod to the role she played for the Final Five throughout their journey to Rio.
Michael Phelps wins 4th consecutive 200m IM; Ryan Lochte doesn’t medalSimone Biles claims her rightful place atop the gymnastics world …
Simone Biles is making history in the Olimpic Games, the difficulty and power of her movements put her well above her competitors. Brilliant as ever. And now, finally, an Olympic champion.
Raisman broke into tears the moment she finished her floor routine, which was her last event in the finals.
One last test awaited in Brazil, a contest not so much between Biles and the rest of the field as between Biles and the burden of oversized expectations.
That meant sustaining her levels for four years, a stretch that is beyond most elite gymnasts but not Biles.
The 19-year-old not only confounded her opponents but appeared to do similar to the laws of gravity.
Biles and Raisman have been mainly looking focused and business-like – as gymnasts often do in a competition like this. Olympic gold in the individual all-around was the thing missing from her cabinet. It’s not a coincidence. She hasn’t lost an all-around competition since the summer of 2013, a winning streak that should go for as long as Biles wants it to.
Simone Biles took the floor with a smile that had a hint of mischievousness in it.
Raisman rose to the podium alongside compatriot and gold medal victor Simone Biles and bronze medalist Aliya Mustafina, the Russian rival that had prevailed in the tiebreak for the bronze in London. Biles finished with the highest score on the balance beam, Hernandez finished third, and the USA finished.935 points over the second-place team. Raisman scored a 15.633 in the vault. “They are special”, added the 73-year-old, who will retire from coaching after the Rio Games.
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On the floor, her explosive tumbling passes – which included her trademark soaring double layout with half twist at the end – had the Brazilian crowd on their feet as her sassy moves were choreographed to hip-swinging samba beats.
