Justin Rose made what is believed to be the first hole-in-one.
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Simone Biles already wore the crown. Perhaps by beginning the conversation with talk about the best in history.
Biles has spent the last three years dominating her sport, winning 15 world championships. At the 2012 London Olympics, Gabby Douglas won the gold medal.
The gold medal hanging around her neck says it all. “I just have to stay focused when I go into my event finals”.
No, Biles will never have an overall medal haul that will stack up with Michael Phelps. “I’m just Simone Biles, but it’s fantastic to be recognized for all of this success for myself and for team U.S.”, she added.
When national team coordinator Martha Karolyi was asked whom she would deem the best, she gave the names of two gymnasts who won gold 40 years apart: Nadia Comaneci, from Karolyi’s homeland of Romania, practitioner of the flawless 10, and Biles, who performs tricks that have shot the sport into another galaxy. Add another handful of medals four years from now in Tokyo and she will be in rarified territory.
Yet it’s not just enough for Karolyi for her team to win.
But the level of dominance shown by Biles as she surged to gold, finishing a decisive 2.1 points clear of teammate Aly Raisman, with Russia’s Aliya Mustafina in third, caused him to rethink.
“No one goes into this thinking they can beat Simone”.
In 2012, Mustafina and Raisman finished with the same total score and the tie was broken by using their three highest apparatus scores. She has been in charge of the team since 2001 and totally overhauled them, so it was so fitting that they would get gold on her final year at the helm. Raisman’s score was second only to Biles’ on the vault, balance beam and floor exercise.
It gets a little trickier after that, if only because of unfortunate timing. Biles could continue to work out 20 hours a week, attend high school and eventually become a college gymnast or she could explore the elite level, a move that included more intensive training and being home schooled. “I’m just Simone Biles, but it’s unbelievable to be recognized for all of this success for myself and for Team USA”, she said. “Those are the culminations of our career”.
Biles surged in front again with 15.433 on the beam as Mustafina dropping back after errors.
While the spotlight was on Biles, it was also a sweet comeback for Raisman, the oldest member of the five-woman USA team at 22.
“I feel really good at 22 and I can’t wait to see what is to come”, Raisman said. “It was just kind of a train wreck”.
Watching from close by was Aimee Boorman, who has coached Biles for almost the gymnast’s whole career.
“If the rotation had been different she wouldn’t have been behind at all”, Boorman said. That’s because gold has been out of reach for everyone but Biles for three years and counting.
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“A lot of people have said she won’t be the greatest until she wins the Olympic all-around”, Boorman said. Glitter from Biles’ eyes dried on her cheeks. She burst into tears when her final total was posted and her long journey to this moment ended. “I wasn’t upset. I was just relieved that bars were over, because I’ve been struggling with that. I just do my gymnastics”.
