There should have been no doubt. The U.S. women’s artistic gymnastics team, as it had in Tokyo 2020 and previous Olympic Games in recent history, were the favorites to win the gold medal. And yet, there was doubt, stemming from what happened three years earlier in Japan. After Simone Biles developed a case of the “twisties” and had to withdraw from the team final – as well as other events where she was favored – the team regrouped to win the silver medal.
Second place, however, ended up weighing heavily over the next three years leading up to Paris 2024. Four of the five U.S. team members were returning medalists from the Tokyo 2020 squad: Biles, Sunisa Lee (the Tokyo 2020 all-around champion), Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles. Olympic newcomer Hezly Rivera, 16, joined the veterans.
From the very beginning of the event, which the American women dubbed as the “Redemption Tour” in wanting to rectify their team results from Tokyo, the evening felt less like a competition and more like an exhibition. The U.S. didn’t even have to break out its most difficult routines because they were far ahead of their competitors in terms of difficulty. Those opponents, led by Italy (who won the country’s first gymnastics medal in 98 years with a silver) and Brazil (bronze), actually applauded some of the routines turned in by the U.S. A fall off beam (Chiles) and a step out of bounds on the floor exercise (Biles) did little to dent the overall score.
Results:
- Gold – U.S.A.
- Silver – Italy
- Bronze – Brazil
- Great Britain
- Canada
- People’s Republic of China
- Romania
- Japan
Photos and Videos: Women’s gymnastics team finals, 2024 Summer Olympics
all photos and videos by Yuan-Kwan Chan / Meniscus Magazine
