TWO GOLD MEDALS and one bronze* for Aly Raisman is the most of any gymnast with the added pleasure of scoring a first. From USA Today:
There was joy: Raisman became the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic gold on floor on Tuesday after she performed what she called the best floor routine of her life, to the music of “Hava Nagila.”
“To have it be at the Olympic Games, in the finals, is just really amazing and just a dream come true. That’s what you work for your whole life,” she said. This, after the USA won team gold for the first time since 1996.
Raisman also broke Olympic silence on the Munich massacre, which happened 40 years ago, the only athlete to do so at the Olympic games.
“Having that floor music wasn’t intentional,” an emotional but poised Raisman told reporters after her performance. “But the fact it was on the 40th anniversary is special, and winning the gold today means a lot to me.” Then Raisman stuck the landing. “If there had been a moment’s silence,” the 18-year-old woman told the world, “I would have supported it and respected it.” [New York Post]
Gabby Douglas‘s competitive strength collapsed, as she admitted, “mentally I’m tired.”
Jordyn Wieber is left to wonder what might have been.
One thing remains, which is a word about one of the men on the U.S. gymnastics team, Danell Leyva, aided by his father who never left his side. Last week he gritted out the all-round competition to receive a bronze medal, the only one for the men, in a performance of sheer heart that epitomized what it takes to be an Olympic champion.
*CORRECTION: Aly Raisman won three medals total, two gold, one bronze; an earlier version cited three gold medals.
Aly’s performance was fabulous!
Nailed it.