She took home the gold medal at the 2012 Olympics Games in this event and also won the 2013 World Championship while finished second at the 2015 games.
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“You never want to say anybody is a definite shoo-in but Simone’s performance in the past have been spectacular”, she said. Not that she was moping.
She went into the Olympics with the world record in 400-meter freestyle, so she’ll have one eye on her opponents in the pool and one on the clock when she dives in for the high-octane event. “At the end of the day, that means so much coming from the head co-ordinator of gymnastics”. “Me and my coach, we haven’t discussed anything like that yet”, Hernandez said.
China and Russian Federation both struggled at times on Sunday, beset by mistakes they can’t afford to make if they want to make the team finals on Tuesday anything more than a coronation. Karolyi is stepping away after the games, though she’s hardly in a hurry to get there.
“My expectations are higher for you than anyone else’s”, she said.
Former ESPN employee Meghan O’Leary and her rowing partner, Ellen Tomek, suffered a setback in their preliminary heat on Saturday and will have to row in the repechage on Sunday to try and get back in contention for a medal.
No wonder Russian gymnastics star Aliya Mustafina figures everybody is playing for silver.
Further qualifying takes place Sunday night.
“It’s going to be really hard to compete against the American team”, Mustafina said through a translator. While each have their strengths, the truth is the US has few weaknesses. Yet after the USA went 16 for 16 during an occasionally showstopping 90 minutes, they hardly seem overburdened by the stakes.
Madison Kocian, 19, was selected for the American team primarily for her wonderful work on the uneven bars.
I think one of the advantages we have over the other countries is vault.
Something that’s not supposed to happen. How hard will it be? But it was her leg in which the USA lost the lead before Cate Campbell, anchoring the Australians, turned on the afterburners and opened up a comfortable margin at the finish.
Aly Raisman, 22, was the most decorated American gymnast at the 2012 Olympics and is the captain of this year’s team. 16-year-old Hernandez beat Raisman and Douglas to rank second behind Biles on three out of four nights of competition at this summer’s final domestic meets.
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“Wait and see honey”, Chusovitina said with a laugh.
