Team USA is thought to be the biggest threat wih the upcoming Olympics, and maintain one of the strongest teams that the USA has put together.
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Simone Biles goes to the Rio Olympics with a shot at cementing her status as the greatest female gymnast of all time. Just prior to the vault, one of the announcers recalled seeing it in practice and referred to it as “the most ideal piece of gymnastics” he had ever seen. In three years, Biles has won 14 world championship medals, 10 of which were gold, putting her at the top of the list for any US athlete in history.
The Americans are sending their strongest gymnastics team yet to the Rio Olympics, one that is all but assured of winning the team and all-around titles and might very well sweep all four individual events, too. Douglas has the potential to be a surprise all-around final competitor and medalist, according to the team’s site.
Aly Raisman has come back and made the roster for Team USA once again! When the 2012 Olympic team arrived in London, reigning world champion Jordyn Wieber was dealing with stress fractures in her right leg. “It’s hard for Martha because she knows us all so well”.
As for the newcomers, Hernandez is a second-generation Puerto Rican and the first US-born Latina to go to the Olympics with the United States gymnastics team since Tracee Talavera in 1984.
Following a third-place finish at US championships last month and a second-place finish here, first-year senior Laurie Hernandez assured herself a spot. Friday, she fell off after a routine spin. She tied for third, actually, but was bumped out of the medals due to a tiebreaker. Four years ago, the Fierce Five vaulted into history when they outscored the competition by almost five points to win their own golds.
Joining them on the team is this year’s breakthrough star Laurie Hernandez. Hernandez finished third all-around at P&Gs and did it with flair, especially on floor. She ranked seventh after the first night of trials. “To have her just lead this team.we’ve been there, and for us to be back on this road together is just wonderful”.
“Locklear has two” routines, “Gabby has four – that was the question”, Karolyi said of the final spot. She appears to be smiling.
At 22, Raisman is the oldest gymnast on the US squad.
Kocian is a contender to take uneven bars gold.
But the world champion refused to let her mind ponder the “what if” scenarios before the team was set Sunday.
To be sure, that has been clearer than even the line-up of this team. Gabby Douglas didn’t have a mistake-free Olympic Trials-far from it-but she showed enough to prove to Karolyi and the rest of the selection committee she can still be an asset in Rio. She nailed a near-perfect vault at the competition. Wowing the crowd with an unbelievable routine which landed her in the top scores!
Fun Fact: Douglas became involved in gymnastics thanks to her older sister, Arielle, who is now a ballroom dancer.
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MyKayla Skinner, Ragan Smith, and Ashton Locklear will also join the team as replacement athletes.
