Back in 2012 when Aly Raisman, then 18, faced down the balance beam in the women’s all-around final, she almost fell from the apparatus after a front somersault went awry.
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When a stupendous score of 15.933 confirmed she had beaten Raisman by 2.100 points with a total of 62.198, the coronation that had been in the planning stages ever since she won the first of a record three successive world titles in 2013 could finally take place.
Even more memorable than their astonishing athletic skill was the girls’ unfiltered emotion as they realized they’d both performed floor routines strong enough to win the top two prizes.
On Aug. 11, 2016, Simone Biles won the Olympic title in the women’s gymnastics individual all-around final.
Raisman dealt with the pressure, putting together her best floor routine of the competition with a 15.433 to finish almost a point and a half ahead of Mustafina in silver medal position, avenging a hard fourth place finish in London. It is the second gold medal that she obtained in Rio, after winning the gymnastics team all-around competition on August 9.
But Raisman threw herself back into training and, despite a few bumpy performances at world championships a year ago, showed up this summer looking physically and mentally stronger than she did in her first attempt at 18. Though she qualified sixth into the all-around with a fall on beam, Mustafina led her team to an unexpected silver medal on Tuesday, putting up four solid routines to prove just how good she is when she’s on. But experts say that Biles beats Comaneci.
In afternoon action, American Kayla Harrison successfully defended her Olympic judo title in the women’s 78-kilogram division, beating France’s Audrey Tcheumeo in a tense final. I’m relieved that it’s over but very proud.
“The longevity at this level, three world championships and an Olympic Games, I don’t think is precedented”. “I was quite edgy and a bit jumpy on the first tee because it’s such a big occasion to be here at the Olympics”.
Born in Columbus, Ohio, Biles moved to Texas at the age of three to be brought up along with her younger sister by her maternal grandparents Ron and Nellie Biles. World Sailing spokesman Darryl Seibel said van Acker, the bronze medalist at London and a favorite to return to the podium in Rio, was evaluated by the chief medical officer after her races.
Keep going when you are wrong: when she makes a mistake, she continues with her routine as if had never been wrong.
Biles surged on front again with 15.433 on the beam as Mustafina dropped back after dropping back after errors.
Pervasive violence is an everyday part of Rio, and a police officer died hours after getting shot in the head when he and two others got lost near a slum, the Justice Ministry said in an official Facebook post.
Though Mustafina led through two rotations, it was a mirage.
“I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps”.
“I’m not a celebrity”.
The way Biles is handling this Olympic gymnastic competition so far, anything seems possible.
Biles scored a 15.933 on her floor exercise to continue the Americans’ dominance, following Carly Patterson (2004), Nastia Liukin (2008) and Gabby Douglas (2012) as all-around Olympic champions.
Biles, who many call the best gymnast of all time, was ebullient about her team mate’s accomplishment. Raisman hugged her gently as they awaited the final score – a mere formality – and tears appeared around Biles’ glittery red, white and blue eyeliner when the vision she once wrote in a scrapbook became a reality. Russia’s Aliya Mustafina took the bronze.
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Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
