Fab Five: Team USA Wins Gold In Women’s Team Gymnastics

For the first time since 1996 in Atlanta, Team USA has won gold in women’s team gymnastics. The “Fab Five,” led by Gabby Douglas and Jordyn Wieber, posted a total team score of 183.596, crushing Russia by more than five points, which finished second with a score of 178.530. Romania (176.414) took home bronze.

After Aly Raisman’s floor routine, the final event for the U.S. -- and needing only to score a 10, more of a formality than anything -- Team USA stood together and watched the scoreboard as the results were officially announced and began laughing and crying, celebrating the moment. The United States’ gold medal, just its second ever in the event, comes after two straight silvers in Beijing and Athens, and a bronze in Sydney.

The Americans turned in the highest team scores in vault, beam and floor (they were third on the parallel bars).

The U.S. opened on vault and posted a huge score, leading the way with a 48.132 on the strength of McKayla Maroney’s 16.233. Russia was second, with a score of 46.366.

Team USA took a 1.733 point lead over China heading into the second rotation, which for the Americans, was the uneven bars. Jordyn Wieber rebound nicely from Sunday’s showing with a 14.666 and no major mistakes, but the team score of 44.799 was only good for third, behind both China and Russia.

The U.S. maintained its slim advantage -- leading Russia just 92.931 to 92.532 -- heading into the third rotation, balance beam. The three Americans all posted solid scores, led by Gabby Douglas’ 15.233 (Kyla Ross turned in a 15.133 and Raisman scored a 14.933)

On beam, the trio of Americans all posted strong numbers -- and avoided any falls -- to post a 45.299, the highest team score of the competition. More importantly, the results extended the U.S. lead over the Russians, giving them a 1.299-point advantage heading into the floor exercise, the final routine of the women’s team final.

Russia was on the floor first and they struggled, with Anastasia Grishina scoring just a 12.466, a total that brought down their team score to 41.599. The low tallies meant the United States just needed to avoid a collapse of epic proportions on their floor routine to win Olympic gold, and they did just that.

Gabby Douglas stuck her routine to lead things off with a 15.066. Jordyn Wieber followed with one of her career best performances (15.000) and then Raisman brought it home for the U.S (15.300).

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