Simone Biles, Aly Raisman qualify for all-around final

If you caught the United States athletes walking in the Parade of Nations during the Rio Olympic Opening Ceremony, however, you may have noticed that one prominent team was absent: the women’s gymnastics team. During the qualifying round, each team is assigned a subdivision; there are five subdivisions for the women, and three for the men (if you’re trying to find them in the Rio Olympic start lists, the US women are in subdivision 4, and will compete August 8 at 4:30pm EDT; the USA men are in subdivision 2 and competed August 6).

How lopsided was the scoring? Most gymnasts practice on equipment that’s sitting on the floor, and the equipment can feel a little bit different on a less stable surface.

The Americans scored 185.238 to top qualifying ahead of China, Russia, Britain and Brazil.

The five members of the USA women’s gymnastics team touched down in Rio late last week and immediately got to work.

Simone Biles happened on gymnastics by accident-but even from a young age, she was destined to be a star. Kocian, a reigning world co-champion on uneven bars, closed the rotation with an even more daring routine, executed with grace and precision. Raisman was second on the floor exercise.

On bars. On beam. The 16 year-old, Laurie Hernandez is the youngest Olympian on the team and has incredible skills.

Immediately following the end of the US women’s qualifications, Horton and Kupets Carter will join host Tanith Belbin for the Daily Dismount recap show.

“It’s going to be really hard to compete against the American team”, Mustafina said through a translator.

“They are unbeatable at the moment”, lamented Russian Aliya Mustafina. Douglas won a gold medal as an individual in the all-around competition, and Raisman won gold individually in the floor exercise. The Olympics kicked off Friday night with the Opening Ceremony and qualifications for both men’s and women’s gymnastics begin this weekend. Most of it involved Douglas, whose selection to the team over Ashton Locklear stirred some criticism. Her matching 14.833 edged Douglas out of contention to defend her all-around title.

Since winning the all around gold in London, there have been doubts Douglas could regain her Olympic form.

Gabby Douglas didn’t fall this time around in the balance beam. Their biological mother, Ron’s daughter, suffered from addiction issues and wasn’t able to take care of her children.

After dismounting from the beam routine Biles excitedly hurried off the competition podium and wrapped Hernandez in a bear hug before greeting her other team-mates – the team’s 16th routine of the afternoon without a mistake. “I had no doubt she would dig deep”. Just go for this 100 percent. “I think everyone recognizes us when we walk by, like, ‘Yeah, those are the gymnasts, ‘ because yeah, there’s a big height difference”.

Mikulak will compete in the floor and high bar finals, while Leyva will compete in the high bar and parallel bar finals. In 2012, she unexpectedly qualified first the all-around final with Douglas right behind her.

That figures to be the only time anyone from this resolute group will let a medal slip away.