US women’s gymnastics wins team gold medal, bouncing back from Tokyo disappointment

(PARIS) — Team USA stars Simone Biles, Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey carried the U.S. to gold in the team event in Paris on Tuesday, returning to the top of the podium after Biles dropped out of the event in Tokyo.

Team USA finished with a score of 171.296, nearly six points more than second place.

in winning gold, Biles also became the most-decorated American gymnast in history with eight medals. She broke a tie with the great Shannon Miller for most overall medals.

Italy earned the silver medal with 165.494 points and Brazil took home bronze with 164.497.

The U.S. women’s gymnastics team adds a fourth gold medal to its collection after previously landing in the top spot on the podium in 2016 at the Rio Games. The team has medaled at every Olympics since 1992 in Barcelona.

Italy landed on the podium for the first time since 1928, while Brazil — led by star Rebeca Andrade — claimed its first medal in the women’s team event.

US women’s gymnastics win gold medal in team finals

Rotation 1: Vault

The Americans started with vault, putting up 44.100 in a strong performance to give them the lead over China, which started with the uneven bars, after the first rotation. Chiles, Carey and Biles performed on vault with Biles posting a team-high score of 14.900.

Carey was narrowly behind Biles with a 14.800 and Chiles posted a 14.400.

Rotation 2: Uneven Bars

Chiles led off the uneven bars for Team USA with a near stuck landing, posting a score of 14.366, which Biles followed up with a 14.400. In Lee’s first rotation of the day, the Tokyo bronze medalist in this event, subsequently scored 14.566 after her feet tapped the ground, which accounted for a five-tenth deduction.

The U.S. led Italy by 3.102 at the end of the second rotation heading into balance beam.

Rotation 3: Balance Beam

Chiles had a difficult start for the U.S. on the beam with a fall on her entry to the first skill, but recovered to post a score of 12.733.

Lee started strong with a straddle mount and her solid routine with a gainer full dismount earned a 14.600 for the U.S.

Biles, a two-time Olympic balance beam bronze medalist, had a flawless flight series in her routine and posted a 14.366.

Through the third rotation, Team USA led Great Britain by 4.967 with a total score of 129.131.

Rotation 4: Floor Exercise

Suni Lee kicked off Team USA’s first of three floor routines set to music from Lindsey Stirling, the same artist she competed to in Tokyo, and notched a 13.533.

Chiles impressed with a “fire” routine, as Lee told her teammate, upon finishing to an uproar of cheers throughout the arena that resulted in 13.966.

Biles capped off the final rotation and notched the last score of 14.666.

US women’s gymnastics team final in Paris Olympics

This marks the first team in Olympics history for men’s or women’s to field two Olympic all-around gold medalists with veterans Biles, who won in 2016, and Lee, who won in Tokyo three years ago.

The team took home the silver medal in the team finals in the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games and will look to best their result in hopes of gold in Paris.

While Hezly Rivera, just 16 years old, is also part of the U.S. team, she did not compete in any of the four apparatuses in the team event. Rivera was prepped and ready to go, but is just as much a part of the team and will get a gold medal for the team’s win.

Scoring on each apparatus is broken up by execution and difficulty to give final combined scores.

The U.S. women have medaled at every team event in the Olympics since 1992.