US women romp to Rio Olympics gymnastics team gold

The U.S. team, with a lineup of National Basketball Association all-stars and most valuable players bidding for a third straight gold medal, had to dig deep to see off the 11th ranked Australians, who have never set foot on the Olympic podium.

Simone Biles, who hasn’t lost a gymnastics event since 2013, clinched the Gold for the United States with a 15.8 in the Floor Exercise, the highest score in the competition.

The group – Biles, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Madison Kocian and Laurie Hernandez – dubbed themselves “The Final Five” as a nod to Karolyi. “We wanted it to be meaningful”. When Biles drilled her Amanar and put up a 15.933 – tied for highest of the night – the USA was already on top of the leaderboard and everyone else was playing for second. The 73-year-old is stepping down after the games.

In an event often decided by fractions of a point, the rest of the field were effectively involved in a separate battle for the minor medals. This is Biles’ first, of a possible five, gold medals.

Biles’ explosive tumbling passes – which included her trademark soaring double layout with a half twist at the end – had the Brazilian crowd roaring their approval. Russian star Aliya Mustafina admitted before the competition the Americans were “unbeatable”.

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The top spot was never in doubt. Since USA Gymnastics installed the system Martha and Bela Karolyi created, the American women have 89 world or Olympic medals.

At the moment, that direction is up. Team members and coaches visit the ranch regularly, where they receive specialized instructions. The competition on Tuesday forced the U.S.to wait sometimes 20-30 minutes between sets.

Press Association photographer David Davies was travelling on the bus at the time of the Tuesday night incident and said: “We were travelling from the hockey venue to the main press centre”. “It’s start. Stop. Start”. There’s more gold to be won.

Biles and Raisman compete in the all-around on Thursday, and it would be an upset if they did not finish 1-2 in that event. Then we all got back on the bus and came back to the main transport mall. The job is not done.

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A mantra that will live on long after Karolyi takes off her USA Gymnastics sweatsuit for the last time.