Final Five (gymnastics)

Last updated
The Final Five receiving their gold medals Final Five Gymnastics Olympics Team Final Medal Ceremony.jpeg
The Final Five receiving their gold medals

The Final Five was the United States women's team in artistic gymnastics that won the team event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. It was the United States' third gold medal in the event and second at an Olympics hosted outside the United States. The five members of the team were Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez, Madison Kocian, and Aly Raisman, with MyKayla Skinner, Ragan Smith, and Ashton Locklear serving as the three alternates. After the team event, Biles won a gold medal in the individual all-around event, the vault, and on floor exercise and won a bronze on the balance beam, while Raisman won silver medals in the individual all-around, and on the floor exercise, where she was the defending champion, Hernandez won silver on the balance beam, and Kocian won a silver in the uneven bars. With nine medals total, the Final Five is the most decorated American Olympic gymnastics team.

Contents

Team background

Aly Raisman and Gabby Douglas were both part of the gold medal-winning team, dubbed the Fierce Five, [1] at the 2012 London Olympics where Douglas won gold in the all-around and Raisman won gold on the floor event and bronze on the balance beam. [2] [3]

Simone Biles became age-eligible for senior competitions in 2013, [4] and she won gold at the 2013 World Championships in the individual all-around and on floor exercise. She also won silver on the vault and bronze on the balance beam. [5] Biles and Madison Kocian were part of the 2014 World Championship gold medal-winning team. [6] Biles additionally won gold medals in the all-around, on the floor exercise, and on the balance beam, becoming the first American women to win four gold medals in a single World Championships. [7] Raisman and Douglas returned to training in 2014 and were re-added to the national team in November. [8]

Biles, Raisman, Douglas, and Kocian were all part of the 2015 World Championship gold medal-winning team. [9] Biles won gold in the all-around and Douglas won the silver. [10] Biles also won gold medals on the floor exercise and balance beam and won the bronze medal on the vault. With 10 gold medals total, Biles broke the record for most World Championships gold medals by a female gymnast. [11] Kocian won gold on the uneven bars in a historic four-way tie. [12]

Laurie Hernandez was the 2015 junior national all-around champion and became age-eligible for senior competitions in 2016. [13] She made her international debut at the 2016 City of Jesolo Trophy alongside Douglas and Raisman where the American team won the gold medal by over 13 points ahead of Brazil. [14] At the 2016 Pacific Rim Championships, Biles, Hernandez, and Raisman helped the American team win the gold medal, and they all finished in the top three in the all-around. [15]

Raisman won the all-around title at the 2016 U.S. Classic while Biles, Douglas, Hernandez, and Kocian did not compete on all four apparatuses. [16] Then at the National Championships, Biles won her fourth-straight national all-around title in addition to winning the vault, balance beam, and floor exercise titles. Raisman placed second, Hernandez placed third, Douglas placed fourth, and Kocian placed fifth in the all-around. [17]

Olympic Trials

The Olympic Trials for women's artistic gymnastics took place on Friday, July 8, and Sunday, July 10, 2016, at the SAP Center in San Jose, California. [18] Both nights of the competition were broadcast by NBC. [19]

Heading into the Olympic Trials, Biles, Douglas, Hernandez, and Raisman were considered "locks" for the Olympic team with the competition for the fifth spot being between uneven bars standouts Kocian and Ashton Locklear. [20] [21] Biles, Hernandez, and Raisman finished first, second, and third, respectively, in the all-around and were all selected for the Olympic team. [22] Douglas fell off the balance beam both nights of the competition and finished seventh in the all-around. [23] The U.S. National Team Coordinator, Márta Károlyi, explained that Douglas was still selected for the Olympic team because of her strength on the uneven bars and her ability to improve during the nine-day training camp before the Olympics. [24] Kocian finished eighth in the all-around but beat Locklear to win the uneven bars, leading to her selection for the Olympic team. [25] Locklear, MyKayla Skinner, and Ragan Smith were selected as the three alternates. [22]

Olympic Trials results for the Final Five [26] [27]
GymnastDay Saut de cheval.svg Barres asymetriques.svg Poutre.svg Gymnastique au sol.svg Total
Simone Biles 116.00014.95015.20015.70061.850
216.20014.90014.75015.55061.400
Total32.200 (1)29.850 (=4)29.950 (4)31.250 (1)123.250 (1)
Laurie Hernandez 115.15014.90015.50015.30060.850
215.15014.75015.70014.70060.300
Total30.300 (4)29.650 (7)31.200 (1)30.000 (3)121.150 (2)
Aly Raisman 115.25014.45014.80015.45059.950
215.20014.30015.25015.05059.800
Total30.450 (3)28.750 (11)30.050 (3)30.500 (2)119.750 (3)
Gabby Douglas 115.10015.10013.70014.65058.550
215.00015.25014.10014.55058.900
Total30.100 (6)30.350 (3)27.800 (11)29.200 (=6)117.450 (7)
Madison Kocian 113.90015.75014.70014.25058.600
214.00015.90013.85014.70058.450
Total27.900 (12)31.650 (1)28.550 (9)28.950 (9)117.050 (8)

Captain and nickname

Aly Raisman, the captain of the Fierce Five and the oldest member of the Final Five at age 22, was once again selected as team captain by her teammates. [28]

The team members chose the name Final Five before the Olympic Games, but it was not announced until the team had secured victory in the team event. [29] The name has two meanings: one being that at the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games, gymnastics teams would only be made up of four athletes [lower-alpha 1] and the other being that it was the final gymnastics team to be formed under Márta Károlyi as national team coordinator of USA Gymnastics. [31]

2016 Summer Olympics

Qualifications

The United States qualified in first place with an overall score of 185.238, nearly 10 points ahead of second-place China. [32] Biles, Douglas, and Raisman competed on all four apparatuses. Hernandez competed on vault, balance beam, and floor exercise, and Kocian competed only on uneven bars. [33] For the individual all-around competition, Biles, Raisman, and Douglas qualified in first, second, and third place, respectively. Due to the rule allowing only the top two from each country to compete in an individual final, only Biles and Raisman advanced. [32]

Biles qualified first on the vault, balance beam, and floor exercise; Kocian qualified first on the uneven bars; Raisman qualified second on the floor exercise; Hernandez qualified second on the balance beam; Douglas qualified third on the uneven bars. Additionally, Douglas and Raisman both finished seventh on the balance beam and Hernandez finished fourth on floor exercise, but all failed to qualify for those finals due to the two-per-country rule. [34]

Qualification results for the Final Five at the 2016 Summer Olympics [35]
Gymnast Saut de cheval.svg Barres asymetriques.svg Poutre.svg Gymnastique au sol.svg Total
Score [lower-alpha 2] RankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRank
Simone Biles 16.000/16.100
Avg: 16.050
115.0001415.633115.733162.3661
Gabby Douglas 15.16615.766314.833=714.366960.1313
Laurie Hernandez 15.20015.366214.8004
Madison Kocian 15.8661
Aly Raisman 15.76614.7332214.833=715.275260.6072
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 46.966146.632245.832145.8081185.2381

Team final

The Final Five celebrating after winning the Women's Team All-Around at the 2016 Summer Olympics EUA levam ouro na ginastica artistica feminina; Brasil fica em 8o lugar (28879955925).jpg
The Final Five celebrating after winning the Women's Team All-Around at the 2016 Summer Olympics

In the team final, Biles competed on all four apparatus, Raisman and Hernandez both competed on vault, balance beam, and floor exercise, and Kocian and Douglas competed on the uneven bars. [36] The team scored 184.897, over eight points ahead of second-place Russia, and they had the highest total scores on each apparatus. [37] This was the largest margin of victory in an Olympic women's gymnastics team final since 1960 when the Soviet Union beat Czechoslovakia by nearly nine points. [38] This was the United States' second consecutive Olympic team title and its third overall. [39]

Team final results for the Final Five at the 2016 Summer Olympics [40]
Gymnast Saut de cheval.svg Barres asymetriques.svg Poutre.svg Gymnastique au sol.svg Total
Simone Biles 15.93314.80015.30015.80061.833
Gabby Douglas 15.76615.766
Laurie Hernandez 15.10015.23314.83345.166
Madison Kocian 15.93315.933
Aly Raisman 15.83315.00015.36646.199
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 46.866 (1)46.499 (1)45.533 (1)45.999 (1)184.897 (1)

Individual all-around

Biles (left) and Raisman (right) celebrating after the all-around final Raisman and Biles (cropped).jpg
Biles (left) and Raisman (right) celebrating after the all-around final

In the individual all-around final, Biles won the gold medal, over points ahead of Raisman, who won the silver medal and over four points ahead of the bronze-medalist Aliya Mustafina. [41] Biles became the fifth overall and the fourth consecutive American women's Olympic all-around champion, joining Mary Lou Retton (1984), Carly Patterson (2004), Nastia Liukin (2008), and Gabby Douglas (2012). [42] Biles was the first defending World all-around champion to win the Olympic all-around title since Lilia Podkopayeva did so in 1996. [43] Biles and Raisman became the second pair of American gymnasts to go 1-2 in the individual all-around in the Olympics, after Liukin and Shawn Johnson took gold and silver, respectively, in 2008. [42]

Individual all-around final for the Final Five at the 2016 Summer Olympics [44]
Gymnast Saut de cheval.svg Barres asymetriques.svg Poutre.svg Gymnastique au sol.svg Total
Simone Biles 15.86614.96615.43315.93362.198
Aly Raisman 15.63314.16614.86615.43360.098

Event finals

Biles competing in the balance beam final Simone Biles, Jogos Olimpicos Rio 2016 (cropped).jpg
Biles competing in the balance beam final

In the vault final, Biles won her third Olympic gold medal, becoming the first American gymnast to win the vault title at an Olympic Games. [45] This was her 17th medal at the Olympics or World Championships, making her the most decorated American gymnast of all time. [46] After qualifying in first place, Kocian won the silver medal on uneven bars, finishing only 0.067 behind the reigning Olympic uneven bars champion Aliya Mustafina. Douglas, who qualified in third place behind Kocian and Mustafina, respectively, made a mistake on one of her pirouettes and placed seventh. [47] [48]

In the balance beam final, Hernandez won the silver medal, finishing behind the Netherlands' Sanne Wevers. Biles put her hands on the beam after a balance check on her front tuck. Despite the mistake, her score was high enough to win her the bronze medal. [49] [50] Then in the floor exercise final, Biles won her fourth Olympic gold medal, and Raisman won the silver medal. This was Raisman's sixth Olympic medal, which at the time made her the second most decorated American Olympic gymnast behind Shannon Miller. [51] [52] Biles' four gold medals tied her Larisa Latynina (1956), Věra Čáslavská (1968), and Ecaterina Szabo (1984) for the most gold medals won in a single Olympics by a female gymnast. [53]

Event finals for the Final Five at the 2016 Summer Olympics [54]
Gymnast Saut de cheval.svg Barres asymetriques.svg Poutre.svg Gymnastique au sol.svg
Simone Biles 15.96614.73315.966
Gabby Douglas 15.066
Laurie Hernandez 15.333
Madison Kocian 15.833
Aly Raisman 15.500

Overall, the Final Five won nine Olympic medals, making them the most decorated American gymnastics team in history. [55] Biles was chosen to be the flag bearer for the United States at the closing ceremonies. She was the first American female gymnast to be given the honor. [56]

Post-Olympics

The Final Five appeared on the cover of People Magazine in its August 29, 2016, edition with their Olympic gold medals. [55] The team appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on August 24. [57] Kellogg's made a special edition box of Special K Red Berries featuring the Final Five. [58]

Hernandez competed on season 23 of Dancing with the Stars . She was partnered with Valentin Chmerkovskiy, and she became the youngest winner in the show's history. [59] [60] Biles then competed on season 24 of the show. She was partnered with Sasha Farber, and they finished fourth. [61]

Kocian went on to compete at the collegiate level for the UCLA Bruins. [62] She, along with Fierce Five member Kyla Ross, made history by becoming the first Olympic gold medalists to compete in NCAA gymnastics. [63] She helped the team win the 2018 NCAA Championships. [64] [65] Her career ended during her senior year on March 13, 2020, when all competitions were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. [66] She confirmed in April 2020 that she was retired and would not return to elite gymnastics. [67]

Raisman never competed again after the 2016 Olympics, and she confirmed her retirement in 2020. [68] Hernandez returned to completion in 2021 but retired after she did not qualify for the postponed-2020 Olympic Games after a knee injury at the U.S. Championships. [69] [70] Douglas returned to competition in 2024, but did not qualify for the 2024 Olympic team after an ankle injury before the U.S. Championships. She has stated she will continue training for the 2028 Olympic Games. [71]

Biles returned to competition in 2018 and competed at the 2018 and 2019 World Championships, becoming the most-decorated female gymnast in World Championship history. [72] She competed at the 2020 Olympic Games, winning a silver medal with the team and a bronze medal on the bronze medal after withdrawing from most of the events due to "the twisties". [73] [74] She won four gold medals at the 2023 World Championships, and she is aiming to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games. [75]

After the 2016 Olympics, it came to light that all five of the Final Five, plus one of the three alternates, had been abused sexually, verbally, and/or emotionally while training in gymnastics. [76]

See also

Notes

  1. Olympic gymnastics team sizes were changed back to five for 2024 Olympic Games. [30]
  2. Gymnasts who wanted to qualify for the vault final performed a second vault, with the average of the two counting for event final qualification. Only the first vault counted for individual and team all-around qualification.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyla Ross</span> American artistic gymnast

Kyla Briana Ross is a retired American artistic gymnast and current assistant coach for the Arkansas Razorbacks gymnastics team. She is the first female gymnast to win NCAA, World, and Olympic championship titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aly Raisman</span> American Olympic gymnast and gold medalist (born 1994)

Alexandra Rose Raisman is an American retired artistic gymnast and two-time Olympian. She was captain of both the 2012 "Fierce Five" and 2016 "Final Five" U.S. women's Olympic gymnastics teams, which won their respective team competitions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gabby Douglas</span> 2012 Olympic gymnastics all-around champion

Gabrielle Christina Victoria Douglas is an American artistic gymnast. She is the 2012 Olympic all-around champion and the 2015 World all-around silver medalist. She was a member of the gold-winning teams at both the 2012 and the 2016 Summer Olympics, dubbed the "Fierce Five" and the "Final Five" by the media, respectively. She was also a member of the gold-winning American teams at the 2011 and the 2015 World Championships.

The USA Gymnastics National Championships is the annual artistic gymnastics national competition held in the United States for elite-level competition. It is currently organized by USA Gymnastics, the governing body for gymnastics in the United States. The national championships have been held since 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fierce Five</span> American womens artistic gymnastics team

The Fierce Five was the artistic gymnastics team that won the second team gold medal for the United States, and the first gold medal on international soil, in the women's team competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Originally referred to as the Fab Five, the five members of the team were Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross, and Jordyn Wieber. Later in the Olympic Games, Douglas won a gold medal in the individual all-around event, becoming the first African-American to ever do so; Maroney won silver on vault; Raisman, the team captain, won bronze on balance beam and gold on floor exercise.

The City of Jesolo Trophy is an annual women's gymnastics competition held in Jesolo, Italy. There are competitions for the senior division and junior division. The United States won the senior team competition from 2008, 2010 to 2017, 2019 and 2022.

MyKayla Brooke Skinner Harmer is an American former artistic gymnast. She was the 2020 Olympic vault silver medalist and was an alternate for the 2016 Olympic team. Skinner competed at the 2014 World Championships where she contributed to the U.S. team's gold medal, also winning an individual bronze medal on vault. She won 11 total medals at the USA National Championships during her senior career. She also competed for the University of Utah's gymnastics team and was a two-time NCAA champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simone Biles</span> American artistic gymnast (born 1997)

Simone Arianne Biles Owens is an American artistic gymnast. With a total of 37 Olympic and World Championship medals, she is the most decorated gymnast in history, and she is widely considered one of the greatest gymnasts of all time. Her seven Olympic gymnastics medals are ninth-most of all time and tied with Shannon Miller for the most by a U.S. gymnast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bailie Key</span> American artistic gymnast

Bailie Jaye Key is a retired American artistic gymnast. She was a member of the gold-medal-winning team at the 2014 Pacific Rim Championships and was the 2013 U.S. Junior National Champion.

Brenna Dowell is a former American artistic gymnast. She was a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. team at the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. A prevalent gymnast on the National scene throughout the 2010s, Dowell has combined elite and collegiate gymnastics; she deferred her sophomore season with the Oklahoma Sooners in order to make a bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madison Kocian</span> American artistic gymnast

Madison Taylor Kocian is an American retired artistic gymnast. On the uneven bars, she is one of four 2015 World co-champions and the 2016 Olympic silver medalist. She was part of the gold medal-winning team dubbed the "Final Five" at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, and she was a member of the first-place American teams at the 2014 and 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. She graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2020, where she was a member of its women's gymnastics team. She helped the UCLA Bruins win the 2018 NCAA Championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laurie Hernandez</span> American artistic gymnast

Lauren Zoe Hernandez is an American retired artistic gymnast. During her debut year as a senior gymnast, she competed as a member of the U.S. women's gymnastics team dubbed the "Final Five" at the 2016 Summer Olympics that won the team gold medal. Individually, Hernandez earned the silver medal on the balance beam. She returned to training in late 2018 and expressed interest in making a comeback to earn a spot on the U.S. women's gymnastic team for the 2020 Summer Olympics, but she did not qualify for the Olympic Gymnastics Trials.

Jordan Lucella Elizabeth Chiles is an American artistic gymnast. She represented the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics and won a silver medal in the team event. She was a member of the team that won gold at the 2022 World Championships. Individually, she is the 2022 World vault silver medalist and floor silver medalist. She has been a member of the United States women's national gymnastics team since 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashton Locklear</span> American artistic gymnast

Ashton Taylor Locklear is a retired American artistic gymnast from North Carolina. She was a member of the gold medal-winning United States team at the 2014 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, and is a two-time national champion on the uneven bars. Locklear was an uneven bars specialist and was an alternate for the 2016 Summer Olympics U.S. gymnastics team, the Final Five.

The United States women's national artistic gymnastics team represents the United States in FIG international competitions.

The 2016 United States women's national gymnastics team season refers to the competitions that the United States women's national gymnastics team will participate in during the 2016 artistic gymnastics season. The 2015 World Team champions, the U.S. team go into 2016 as the favorites to become 2016 Olympic Champions; hoping to defend their 2012 Olympic title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riley McCusker</span> American artistic gymnast

Riley Shannon McCusker is an American artistic gymnast and a six-time member of the United States women's national gymnastics team (2016–2021). She is the 2019 Pan American Games and 2017 United States national uneven bars champion. In the all-around, she is the 2019 Pan American Games silver medalist and a two-time United States national bronze medalist. She has also won six medals at the USA Gymnastics National Championships in her senior career. She was a member of the gold-medal-winning American team at the 2018 World Championships and the 2019 Pan American Games. In 2019, she competed at the Birmingham FIG World Cup, earning a silver medal in the all-around behind Olympic champion Aliya Mustafina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jade Carey</span> American artistic gymnast

Jade Ashtyn Carey is an American artistic gymnast who represented the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Best known for her abilities on vault and floor exercise, she is the 2020 Olympic champion on floor exercise, a two-time World medalist, the 2018 Pan American Champion, and a four-time American national silver medalist. On vault she is the 2022 World champion, a two-time World silver medalist, the 2018 Pan American champion, and a two-time American national champion. She was a member of the teams that won gold at the 2019 World Championships, the 2022 World Championships, and the 2018 Pan American Championships. With a total of eight Olympic and World Championship medals, Carey is the sixth most decorated U.S. female gymnast of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunisa Lee</span> Hmong-American artistic gymnast (born 2003)

Sunisa "Suni" Lee is an American artistic gymnast. Lee is the 2020 Olympic all-around champion and uneven bars bronze medalist, the 2019 world championship silver medalist on the floor and bronze medalist on uneven bars. She was a member of the teams that won gold at the 2019 World Championships and silver at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

References

  1. Keating, Steve (July 31, 2012). "Fierce Five trump Magnificent Seven". Reuters . Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  2. Clarke, Liz (August 2, 2012). "Gymnast Gabby Douglas soars to women's all-around gold". The Washington Post . Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  3. "Raisman earns two event medals at 2012 Olympics". USA Gymnastics . August 7, 2012. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  4. "Simone Biles' gymnastics revolution". The Week . August 4, 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  5. "U.S. gymnastics wraps up most successful World Championships ever". NBC Sports . October 6, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  6. "U.S. women win second straight World team title at 2014 World Championships". USA Gymnastics . October 8, 2014. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  7. Armour, Nancy (October 12, 2014). "Simone Biles' gymnastics world championships gold rush". USA Today . Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  8. "Final national team camp for 2014 wraps up today". USA Gymnastics . November 25, 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  9. Woods, David (October 27, 2015). "U.S. women gymnasts win world championship". The Indianapolis Star . Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  10. Axon, Rachel (October 29, 2015). "Simone Biles wins third all-around title at World Gymnastics Championships". USA Today . Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  11. "Biles wins record 10th gold medal at World Championships". USA Gymnastics . November 1, 2015. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  12. Graves, Will (October 31, 2015). "Gold rush! 4 women share uneven bars gold at world gymnastics championships". U.S. News & World Report . Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  13. Armour, Nancy (October 7, 2015). "U.S. junior champ Laurie Hernandez too young for world gymnastics championships". USA Today . Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  14. "USA sweeps team, all-around titles at 2016 Jesolo Trophy". USA Gymnastics . March 19, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  15. Axon, Rachel (April 10, 2016). "Simone Biles wins all-around, leads USA to team gold at Pacific Rim". USA Today . Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  16. Powers, John (June 5, 2016). "Raisman Wins Secret U.S. Classic". U.S. Classic. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  17. "Biles wins fourth-straight U.S. all-around title at 2016 P&G Championships". USA Gymnastics . June 27, 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  18. Chiari, Mike (July 6, 2016). "US Women's Gymnastics Olympic Trials 2016: Dates, TV Schedule and Live Stream". Bleacher Report . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  19. "NBC Olympics Will Provide 76 Hours Of 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Coverage". San Jose 2016 Olympic Trials. USA Gymnastics. March 28, 2016. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  20. Axon, Rachel (July 9, 2016). "U.S. Olympic gymnastics hopefuls face drama on final day of trials for Rio". USA Today . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  21. Marcellino, Marisa (July 7, 2016). "At U.S. Gymnastics Trials, it's a fight for one spot in Rio". NBC Sports . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  22. 1 2 "Biles wins all-around at 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials; U.S. Olympic Women's Gymnastics Team named in San Jose". USA Gymnastics . July 11, 2024. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  23. Macur, Juliet (July 16, 2016). "Gabby Douglas Seeks to Rebound From Her Olympic Stardom". The New York Times . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  24. Clarke, Liz (July 11, 2016). "Gabby Douglas makes U.S. gymnastics team after shaky performance at trials". The Washington Post . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  25. "Madison Kocian Named to U.S. Olympic Team". UCLA Bruins . July 10, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  26. "2016 U.S. Olympic Trials - Women Day 2 Meet Results - All-Around" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . July 10, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 15, 2019. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  27. "2016 U.S. Olympic Trials - Women Day 2 Event Results - Multi" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . July 10, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 15, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  28. Fincher, Julia (July 25, 2016). "Aly Raisman, Chris Brooks named captains of U.S. Olympic gymnastics teams". NBC Olympics . Archived from the original on July 28, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  29. "Call them the 'Final Five' – U.S. women's team selects team nickname". USA Gymnastics . August 9, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  30. "Olympic gymnastics team sizes return to five for Paris 2024". NBC Sports . May 4, 2019. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  31. Fincher, Julia (August 10, 2016). "Why U.S. women's gymnastics team chose the nickname 'Final Five'". NBC Olympics . Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  32. 1 2 Barnas, Jo-Ann (August 8, 2016). "U.S. women storm to nearly 10 point lead in Rio qualifying". USA Gymnastics . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  33. "U.S. women's line-up for qualification round is set for 2016 Olympic Games". USA Gymnastics . August 6, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  34. "USA advances to women's gymnastics team final at 2016 Olympic Games". USA Gymnastics . August 8, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  35. "Artistic Gymnastics Women's Team Qualification Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . Rio 2016. August 7, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
    "Artistic Gymnastics Women's Individual All-Around Qualification Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . Rio 2016. August 7, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
    "Artistic Gymnastics Women's Events Qualification Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . Rio 2016. August 7, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  36. "USA wins team gold in women's gymnastics at 2016 Olympic Games". USA Gymnastics . August 9, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  37. Barnas, Jo-Ann (August 10, 2016). "U.S.'s Final Five sends Karolyi off with final gold". USA Gymnastics . Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  38. Howard, Johnette (August 9, 2016). "They are the greatest! U.S. are best women's gymnastics team ever". ESPN . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  39. "U.S. women's gymnastics team wins gold at Rio Olympics". CBS News . August 9, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  40. "Artistic Gymnastics Women's Team Final Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . Rio 2016. August 9, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  41. Howard, Johnette (August 11, 2016). "Biles was the best going into the all-around, left the best ever". ESPN . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  42. 1 2 "Biles wins gold, Raisman silver in women's all-around at 2016 Olympic Games". USA Gymnastics . August 11, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  43. "A coronation for Biles as U.S. goes 1-2 in the women's all-around". USA Gymnastics . August 12, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  44. "Artistic Gymnastics Women's Individual All-Around Final Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . Rio 2016. August 11, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  45. Chappell, Bill (August 14, 2016). "Simone Biles Wins Third Gold Medal Of Rio Games On The Vault". NPR . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  46. Barnas, Jo-Ann (August 14, 2016). "Biles becomes most decorated U.S. gymnast with Olympic vault gold". USA Gymnastics . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  47. White, Rea (August 14, 2016). "Rio Olympics 2016: Madison Kocian takes silver in uneven bars; Gabby Douglas finishes seventh". Sporting News . Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  48. Ward-Henninger, Colin (August 14, 2016). "Madison Kocian wins silver, Gabby Douglas misses podium in uneven bars final". CBS Sports . Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  49. Cazeneuve, Brian (August 15, 2016). "An unexpected winner emerges in Olympics beam final as Biles reveals imperfections". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  50. Fincher, Julia (August 15, 2016). "Wevers beats Hernandez, Biles for gold on balance beam". NBC Olympics. Archived from the original on August 17, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  51. "Aly Raisman wins sixth Olympic medal with floor silver". NBC Olympics . August 16, 2016. Archived from the original on August 20, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  52. "Olympic Champion Aly Raisman Honored By Mass. Hometown". CBS News . August 27, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  53. "Simone Biles wins gold, Aly Raisman takes silver in floor exercise final". KSDK . August 16, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  54. "Artistic Gymnastics Women's Event Finals Results" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . Rio 2016 . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  55. 1 2 Kim, Eun Kyung (August 18, 2016). "The Final Five relives incredible Rio performances: 'We're on cloud nine'". Today . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  56. Axon, Rachel (August 20, 2016). "Simone Biles chosen to carry U.S. flag at closing ceremony of Rio Olympics". USA Today . Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  57. Seemayer, Zach (August 24, 2016). "The Final Five Play 'Hungry Hungry Humans' on 'The Tonight Show'". Yahoo! Entertainment. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  58. "Simone Biles and the Final Five Land Kellogg's Cereal Box After Taking Home Gold". Yahoo! News. August 12, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  59. Stone, Natalie (November 23, 2016). "Laurie Hernandez Claims DWTS Gold! Olympic Gymnast Vaults to Victory in Season 23". People Magazine . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  60. "Laurie Hernandez wins Dancing with the Stars, youngest champion ever". Sports Illustrated . November 22, 2016. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  61. Stone, Natalie (May 15, 2017). "DWTS Judges Were Just as Shocked as Anyone That Simone Biles Was Eliminated". People Magazine . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  62. Kendall, Rebecca (September 16, 2016). "Four Olympians go for blue and gold as new Bruins". UCLA . Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  63. Zaccardi, Nick (January 9, 2017). "Madison Kocian, Kyla Ross make history with NCAA gymnastics debuts". NBC Sports . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  64. "UCLA Wins 2018 NCAA Gymnastics Title". UCLA Bruins . April 21, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  65. "Bruins rally to claim 7th NCAA title in gymnastics". UCLA . April 23, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  66. Vanoni, Maggie (March 27, 2020). "Madison Kocian ends UCLA gymnastics career with pain, pride and a new purpose". Los Angeles Daily News . Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  67. Caplan, Callie (April 12, 2020). "After coronavirus canceled NCAA homecoming, Dallas Olympian Madison Kocian looks to life post-gymnastics". The Dallas Morning News . Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  68. Bregman, Scott (January 14, 2020). "Aly Raisman announces retirement: "The power of dreams is too big to put into words"". Olympic Channel . Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  69. Leiker, Emily (July 17, 2021). "Laurie Hernandez returning to Olympics with different perspective: commentator, not competitor". USA Today . Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  70. Schultz, Katherine (November 20, 2023). "Former U.S. Olympic Gymnast Laurie Hernandez Speaks at CMU". Central Michigan University . Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  71. Roenigk, Alyssa (May 29, 2024). "Gabby Douglas pulls out of U.S. championships, ends 2024 Olympic bid". ESPN . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  72. Zaccardi, Nick (October 8, 2019). "Simone Biles breaks record; U.S. women win gymnastics world team title". NBC Sports . Archived from the original on October 8, 2019. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  73. Reeve, Elle (July 28, 2021). "Simone Biles and 'the twisties': How fear affects the mental health and physical safety of gymnasts". CNN . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  74. Macur, Juliet (August 3, 2021). "Simone Biles, in a Comeback, Takes Bronze on the Balance Beam". The New York Times . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  75. "Simone Biles closes gymnastics worlds with two more gold medals". NBC Sports . October 8, 2023. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  76. Manza Young, Shalise (May 4, 2020). "Abuse suffered by Laurie Hernandez further tarnishes the Final Five's 2016 gold medals". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved May 7, 2020.