Alexandra Raisman competes in the floor exercise during Day 2 of the 2016 U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Olympic Trials at SAP Center, July 10, 2016 in San Jose, California.
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Raisman can joke about it now that she’s on the other side with a spot on a second Olympic team assured after national team coordinator Martha Karolyi selected her for the five-woman team along with Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez and Madison Kocian.
Joining her on the team that was announced Sunday after the Olympic trials in San Jose, Calif., will be two former Olympians, Aly Raisman and Gabby Douglas.
Biles, perhaps, put the trials into perspective when discussing her slip on the balance beam for the first time in a month. After an exciting night of competition at the SAP Center, five gymnasts were named to the team by the Selection Committee.
“I’m willing to put everything into it”, she said.
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. “So no heart attacks will take place in this arena tonight”. “She’s trusting her strengths and not trying to do anything earthshaking, just do the routines she’s prepared for, and I am very pleased with how she looks through the training session”, Karolyi stated. Her two-day total was 116.85. Raisman – who is the oldest member of this year’s team – won gold in the team and floor competitions.
After a golden trip to the London 2012 Olympic Games resulting in gold medals in the team competition and on floor exercise and a bronze medal on the balance beam, Aly Raisman proved her greatness and fortitude once again with a return to the Olympic games in her sights.
Gabby Douglas, 20, dominated at the 2012 London Games, getting a first-place all-around finish. “Her gymnastics definitely pushes me to even do more and expect more from myself”.
And now that the Rio team is set, Biles and her teammates can turn their attention to beating the rest of the world. “It’s just a special bond”. Though hardly surprising after she won the USA junior championship a year ago, Hernandez’s past month of competition has been impressive as she has shown she belongs with the top gymnasts in the world. However, when the announcement was finally made, it became clear that she will be going into another Olympics as the leader of the team. She relied on equal parts experience and potential while putting together a squad expected to come home with copious amounts of hardware. She might squeak her way into the uneven bars final as well. Hawkins said her daughter was devastated by the ordeal and it took time to “bring her back from that”. Her placement didn’t improve, but it appeared her confidence is on the upswing. Friday, she fell off after a routine spin. She was the only competitor outside of those two to score higher than a 15.0 on bars and she did it both nights.
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“They only have 12 minutes tonight”, said Aly Raisman, who did make the five-woman cut.
