Her combination of difficulty and execution is unprecedented.
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Biles was all smiles as she waited her turn to get a medal at the ceremony and both Laurie Hernandez and Aly Raisman jumped out of their seats to clap for her.
For Biles, the medal is validation of something most of the world already knew and for Raisman, the medal is redemption from London, where a tie-breaker left her off the podium.
She completed the beam without a hitch before watching Raisman do the same.
Here’s the other thing: Even though it was a victory that had been long predicted – “For, like, years”, Raisman, a two-time Olympian, said with a laugh – the story of how Biles arrived at this moment and delivered on it is hardly routine or stripped of wonder. But Thursday night in Rio, Biles had to make it happen for real. Aliya Mustafina took the gold and Sophie Scheder of Germany won bronze in the event. They noted that she is a three-time world champion in the all around women’s competition, and a four-time usa all around champion. She has updated her second vault, though, and winning is not out of the question. Hong Un-jong was Biles’ biggest competition, the Guardian reported, and tried to land the “almost mythic” Yurchenko triple twist. The major factor will be her first vault. Her first go on the vault ended with a bit of a hop on her landing, earning her a 15.9.
Biles met with the media on Friday in the Main Press Center in Rio and offered her thoughts on a wide range of topics, including upcoming competition, life when she returns to the USA and how she and “Final Five” teammates Gabby Douglas, Lauren Hernandez, Madison Kocian and Aly Raisman will celebrate the end of competition. Maria Paseka of Russian Federation won the silver with a combined score of 15.253 and Giulia Steingruber of Sweden took home bronze with a combined score of 15.216. The 2012 Olympic Uneven Bars champion used her speciality to her full advantage, even leading the All-around race at the competition’s halfway point.
“She said: ‘I believe in you, and you can go out and do it,”‘ Douglas said. Look for Catalina Ponor (Romania) to challenge for the podium and try to salvage the Romanian gymnastics legacy.
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Major feats like this and countless others have earned her name to be engraved alongside some of the world’s most legendary athletes. Mikulak, who had posted the highest floor exercise in last week’s preliminary round, stumbled early in Sunday’s floor final and never really got back on track, finishing eighth. Vanessa Ferrari (Italy) qualified third and is very talented on the event, she could challenge for bronze. On floor I can’t envision a scenario where she wouldn’t come out on top.
