Karolyi’s ‘Final Five’ US team wins gymnastics gold

The US had already established a healthy lead after the first rotation, Biles leading the way with a score of 15.933 in the vault, with Britain lying third following their uneven bars routine, Downie with their best showing of 15.400.

So commanding and consistent were the USA performances that members of the silver and bronze medal teams said they were essentially competing for the second place.

Congrats to our women, the best ever. Kocian also killed her routine, flipping her way to a 15.933, the highest score of the Games so far according to commentators. She was followed by Douglas and Kocian – bars specialists both – who delivered on their only routines of the afternoon.

The Olympic team final is a test of a nation’s breadth and depth of gymnastics talent. Firstly, they represent the end of the line for long-time USA Gymnastics national team coordinator Martha Karolyi, who plan to retire following the games, and secondly, they are the last Olympic gymnastics team that will feature five members.

They finished with a team total of 8.209 points.

Midway through the competition, the US women held a four-point-plus lead over China, with Russian Federation close behind. Yet it was as much a lean-forward moment as these Olympics have seen. She’s molded the USA program into a ponytailed juggernaut.

The victory had the feeling of a culmination. Both spoke afterwards about the nickname the team self-coined during a recent grouptext – the Final Five – a nod to Karolyi’s retirement and the sport’s move to a four-person team for Tokyo 2020.

The majestic Simone Biles landed the first of a possible five Olympic gymnastic golds in Rio by helping the United States win the women’s team title on Tuesday night.

But Rio is not done with them yet.

Biles also had to whirl her arms around to stay on the balance beam after a sequence of three backflips left her wobbling on the four-inch wide apparatus. She will be joined by Raisman on the floor and Hernandez in the beam, while Douglas and Kocian will attempt to win medals in the bars.

The big question now is whether the members of Team USA, including Biles who is competing at her first Games, will be able to replicate their dazzling performances throughout the individual events, which begin on Sunday.

“We set the standard and we’re not going down. This is why we’re here”.

“It feels incredible, especially to be alongside Aly. we did this again and history again”.