The United States women’s gymnastics team leaped and tumbled into victory Tuesday afternoon, winning the country’s first gold medal in the women’s team event since 1996.
In the process, they decimated gymnastics heavyweights China, Russia and Romania to capture the prize. A difference of five points stood in between the Americans and second place Russians, creating a considerable gap between the U.S. and their fellow competitors.
Jordyn Wieber, Alexandra Raisman, Gabrielle Douglas, Kayla Ross and McKayla Maroney were the five girls on the roster. None of them had ever competed at an Olympic event before, making this their first time at the Games.
The Americans opened the competition with a series of booming flips and spins on the vault with scores in the 15s and 16s. They later carried on to dominate the scoreboard in the beam and floor events as well. While they didn’t attain the top score in the uneven bars, the Americans still placed third behind China and Russia.
The victory was especially important for Wieber, as the gymnast had recently failed to qualify for the individual all-around competition. Wieber’s shortcoming shocked the gymnastics community, as she was one of the world’s heavy favorites heading into the competition.
In addition to a gold medal, the team is also seeking to finalize a nickname for themselves. While many fans had previously called them the “Fab Five,” the girls have stated that they believe the “Fierce Five” is more appropriate.