The first one was for the team.
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That’s because gold has been out of reach for everyone but Biles for three years and counting.
Where to start judging Biles after her romp to gold in the gymnastics all around?
She may be shorter than most gymnasts, but the dynamo is going down in history as one of the best in the business. Four years of hard work and determination later, Raisman entered the floor exercise in Rio with a medal in her sights and Mustafina again in her way.
The last routine of the night was Biles on floor. She arrived in Brazil with 14 world championship medals – 10 of them gold – with routines astonishing in their mix of ambition and precision.
When the dust settled, Biles needed somewhere in the neighborhood of 13 points to win gold.
“I just really wanted to do a good bar set and really swing and just flow and stick the dismount – the polishing touch”, she said.
No, Biles will never have an overall medal haul that will stack up with Michael Phelps. Biles is now the second American to pull off the feat as she won her second gold medal in Rio by destroying the competition in the individual all-around finals on August 11.Biles won the individual all-around with a total score of 62.198; it was the largest margin of victory over the rest of field in Olympics history.
On a Wheaties box one day, they find themselves sitting at home watching a new generation of gymnasts on television the next. She finished 2.1 points ahead of Final Five teammate Aly Raisman, by far her largest margin of victory in her three-year – and counting – win streak.
And American Kayla Harrison won gold in women’s 78 kg judo, defending her title from London four years ago. “Most people don’t go in thinking they can beat Usain Bolt either, it’s kind of the same thing”. After three rotations, and heading into her best event – the floor – Biles was sitting at 46.265, with Mustafina at 44.666. “I wish that they would change it but I don’t think that they ever will”, Raisman said.
United States’ Simone Biles waves on the podium after receiving her gold medal in the artistic gymnastics women’s individual all-around final at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016. “Everyone is here and every time she comes up everyone gets quiet and cheers”.
Until she first performed “The Biles” in 2013, it had never been tried in competition before. At the highest peak of the move, she leaps almost twice her height.
“She really ranks at the top”, said Martha Karolyi, the national team coordinator who helped Nadia Comaneci score a ideal 10 in the 1976 games as a coach in Romania. “To me I’m just the same Simone. Those are the culminations of our career”.
“She’s our local hero and we’re proud of her and we’re here to see her win the gold”, said Ashley Virsa.
“I was nervous a little bit for her today just to come out and do it and make it yours”, Boorman said.
Swamped by camera crews and microphones after her triumph on Thursday, Biles distanced herself from the shining lights. Now she can say she’s the greatest of all-time.
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“I’m not disappointed at all”, she said. “I just stay out of it”. But just who is the most-searched for gymnast in the world?
