Biles has a remarkable record since her debut at the 2013 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp. And as the fourth American in a row to win gymnastics’ biggest prize, she gives the United States bragging rights no other country, in men’s or women’s gymnastics, can claim. “Those really stand out from my 50 years of coaching”.
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In winning silver four years after missing out on bronze at the London Olympics by a tiebreaker, Raisman was pretty dominant herself.
Biles, 19, is the Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, Muhammad Ali, Wayne Gretzky, Jesse Owens of her sport.
Following is a factbox on reactions to American gymnast Simone Biles winning all-around gold at the Rio Olympics on Thursday.
Biles, Raisman and the rest of the women’s team won the team gold medal Tuesday, giving Team USA back-to-back Olympic golds.
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. This is the second gold for the 19-year-old US gymnast in Rio, but she still has a chance to win three others in various events, reports Efe.
“I would put Simone now on top”, she added.
Phelps, meanwhile, now has 22 golds and 26 medals overall in five Olympics.
Gymnasts at Biles’ gym in Spring gathered to cheer on their hometown girl.
Following their wins, Aly said, “It was very emotional because we finally did it”.
Douglas, 20, failed to make the cut to defend her title despite finishing third in qualifiers behind Biles and Raisman.
However, Biles, with her fingernails and eyelids colored gold, far and away exceeded that, earning the best scores in the balance beam, floor exercises and vault. “And She said “me too”. “I wasn’t upset. I was just relieved that bars were over, because I’ve been struggling with that”. When Aly started crying, I had to tell her to stop because I knew I’d start crying.
Karolyi called Biles a “force of nature”.
While the spotlight was on Biles, it was also a sweet comeback for Raisman, the oldest member of the five-woman US team at 22.
It’s nearly becoming hard to talk about Biles because there simply aren’t enough superlatives to describe her.
“Every emotion just hit me at once”, Biles said. The two American medalists hugging with happiness but the night belonging to Biles, this pint-sized princess is now the undisputed queen. It was meant as a joke. 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.
Biles, though, would not entertain talk of “the greatest ever”. Now she can say she’s the greatest of all-time. Later when she was asked how coming in second affected her psyche, Simone said, “Nothing”.
While Biles and Raisman wow with their athletic prowess and sky-high whirls, Mustafina fits the more traditional Soviet-era mould of dancer-like gaits and moves.
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“I think I will never be able to (beat her)”. She took the highest score in all of the other events.
