Uchimura, who has won the last six all-around world championships and already has gold medals in both the team and individual all-around competitions in Rio.
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RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 14: Simone Biles of the United States competes in the Women’s Vault Final on Day 9 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Rio Olympic Arena on August 14, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Manuel is the first African-American woman to win an individual gold medal in swimming, and neither herself nor Oleksiak were favorites to medal in this race.
The 19-year-old American soared to the all-around title on Thursday, putting the gap between herself and the rest of the world on full display under the Olympic spotlight. I feel like I did my job tonight’.
The event is composed of two parts – Biles scored 15.900 on her first and 16.033 on her second for a combined score of 15.9666, making her the clear victor, despite the fact that her opponents attempted more complicated routines. “A medal is a medal”.
That’s a lot of firsts and superlatives; many people now call her the best gymnast of all time. Biles won the bronze medal in 2015 and took silver in 2013 and 2014. Balance beam and floor exercise – where Biles is the defending world champion – lay in wait.
Raisman, 22, received a gold medal in the all-around team event and a silver medal in the all-around individual event so far in these Olympic Games.
But that doesn’t bother Raisman. “You know, felt good, I wanted to do it”. In training, she was seen attempting the triple-twisting Yurchenko, a more hard version of the Amanar vault made famous by McKayla Maroney.
But Karolyi and Brestyan turned the experience into a positive, and it launched her into this season.
As Raisman came off floor, she sobbed and waved to the crowd. “I’m excited for the other finals now”, she said.
American viewers who only follow gymnastics every four years haven’t seen her work at the world and USA championships.
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She may be shorter than most gymnasts, but the dynamo is going down in history as one of the best in the business. She’s one of my role models, and I don’t think there’s anyone I’d rather share the podium with.
