Which team will string together the top performances to win gold at the Rio Olympics in Men’s Gymnastics?
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Though the U.S. has been dominant as of late, the Rio gold marked the first time it has won back-to-back Olympic competitions.
They’re following in the Fierce Five’s and Magnificent Seven’s footsteps in going for an Olympic team gold medal.
The final event was balance beam, with Douglas, Raisman, Hernandez, Biles and Kocian competing in that order. Ashton Locklear, Ragan Smith and MyKayla Skinner are the alternates if any of the five suffer any injuries. The top 24 after qualifying advance to the final, with a limit of two gymnasts per country. She’s said that missing out on an all-around medal by a procedure that many consider unfair gave her the motivation to return to competition after she took about a year off from training.
Less than one year later, Biles deferred her enrollment until after the Rio 2016 Olympics.
At the USA trials in July, she put in a series of shaky performances, including falling off the beam.
They entered the Olympics gymnastics competition here as the clear favorites for gold.
Though they may not have coined a nickname yet such as the 2012’s “Fierce Five”, the 2016 U.S. women’s gymnastics team took the floor yesterday for the preliminary round and showed the world that they, too, are incredibly fierce. Theoretically, that shouldn’t be an issue.
Nellie Biles doesn’t tweet a lot, but when she does it’s to send words of love and encouragement to the superstar athlete who also happens to be her daughter. “I’m a bubbly person and when I’m enjoying myself it comes through”.
Responding Monday, Biles – who earned a spot in the all-around competition – wrote to Kardashian West of North, 3, “Aww that is just too cute! she totally needs a #gkSimone leo and she’ll be my mini me!”
Here’s the reason for the rule, at least as best as I can figure (and I concede I’m no expert on gymnastics): The sport doesn’t want one country walking home with all the medals. I’m not alone; my family is with me when I’m out there competing.
The lineup is eye-opening considering the showing 2012 Olympic all-around champion Douglas turned in during Sunday’s qualifying round. Comaneci did it in 1980 after winning gold in 1976. Now Biles is the heir apparent of a USA team expected to repeat as the victor of the team gold.
“I finally did a routine that I do in practice, so I was super excited about that”, said Biles as the USA team nailed all their rotations without a major error.
Douglas, the 2012 Olympic champion, will not get the opportunity to defend her title.
U.S. gymnast Gabrielle Douglas practices on the beam of the women’s Artistic gymnastics at the Olympic Arena. She’s also the captain.
The Americans won no medals for Sunday’s display of might.
“We thank everyone for all the support”, Raisman said.
It’s official; we’re most definitely watching history in the making.
The rest of the team is anywhere from 16-20. The 2015 junior national champion out of Old Bridge, New Jersey, finished second in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in July, behind Biles. Hernandez, who is elegant and explosive on beam, scored a 15.366 and now heads to the beam final, and Biles ― well, Biles blew it out of the water with a 15.633. “They don’t care what I do because I’m always their Simone”. “I was like, ‘Whoa!'”
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If the Americans have a weakness, it’s on uneven bars. China won fourth in London in 2012 and silver at the 2015 world championships.
