The Summer Olympics bring athletes of all body types together in one place; there are bulked-up weightlifters, long and lean runners, giant basketball players, vertically-challenged gymnasts and many more shapes and sizes from all over the globe.
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For the five women (and three alternates) on Team USA’s gymnastics crew heading to Rio, 2016 looks to be a landmark year. After all, with three consecutive all-around wins at the world championships, Biles is basically the Bolt of her sport. Douglas looks continue her historic streak and win back-to-back gold medals in Brazil, but her biggest competition might just be her teammate, Simone Biles.
“For a 29-year old to make the olympic team is very unusual”, Williams said. “I’m trying not to think about it. I’m just thinking about being the best I can be for the team first because that’s what comes first”.
Even after that, Biles still harboured lingering doubts about her own talent. I wouldn’t have asked for a better team. She’s spent the last three years setting a standard that is uniquely hers, which may be her most remarkable talent of all.
Out of the training gym, the US women’s team, who are heavily favored to win gold in the team competition, rocked matching tank tops that need no explanation.
Four years ago, Biles was watching another trailblazing African-American gymnast, Gabby Douglas, win all-around gold at the London Olympics.
“I’m definitely extremely excited to be staying at the (Olympic) Village, meeting other athletes from all the other sports, and attending the closing ceremony”, Monica Rokhman said in an email.
Kerri Walsh Jennings: Kerri Walsh Jennings is heading to her fifth Olympics, though it’s the first without her partner Misty May-Treanor, who retired in 2012.
“I’m always in awe when I watch her”, Raisman said. To put that into context, at the 2012 Olympics, Beth Tweddle was 27 and won a bronze on uneven bars for Team GB, and Oksana Chusovitina won a silver medal for Germany on vault at the Olympics when she was 33.
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The Massachusetts native isn’t on the team strictly for her leadership abilities. She’s so good, and her difficulty is so high on all four events, she could afford a fall or two and still post the highest overall score. “I have great confidence in what I do, and I’m really just competing against myself out there”. Now the team isn’t without its weaknesses-John Orozco, one of the core members, struggled at Trials-but let’s see if team captain Mikulak can lead his squad to victory. I know my whole career is building toward the Olympics, and it can sound like a lot of pressure, but I’m just staying focused on what I can control and do my thing.
