The U.S. women’s gymnastics team won gold Tuesday at the 2012 London Olympics as the Fab Five took home first place in the gymnastics team finals for the first time since 1996.
The Fab Five beat Russia by over five points, with a score of 183.596, reports Yahoo! News . Russia came in second with 178.530 points to earn silver, while Romania claimed the bronze.
The U.S. women’s gymnastics team was strong throughout the entire competition, giving gymnast Jordyn Wieber a chance at redemption after she failed to qualify for the women’s all-around competition.
Wieber’s huge smile throughout the competition on Tuesday was a huge difference from the tears the audience saw on Saturday, after she missed her shot at individual gold.
Russia, who are notoriously strong in women’s gymnastics, were close to the Americans score all day, until their final event — floor exercise. Ksenia Afanaseva finished her floor routine on her head and knees, giving Russia a disappointing finish according to The Chicago Tribune.
The Romanian girls also had issues throughout the day, although they were able to rally back to win the bronze.
The U.S. women’s gymnastics team, made up of Aly Raisman, Jordyn Wieber, Gabby Douglas, Kyla Ross, and McKayla Maroney, have been likened to the Magnificent Seven, who won gold in 1996, despite one of their members, Kerri Strug, injuring her ankle on her first vault attempt (she powered through her second, landing solidly on one foot).
Dominique Moceanu, a member of the 1996 gold medal team, took to Twitter after the U.S. won gold today, saying:
Congratulations Team USA! It’s a GOLD! Proud! @ jordyn_wieber @ gabrielledoug @ aly_raisman @ mckaylamaroney @ kyla_ross96 # Olympics # Gymnastics
— Dominique Moceanu (@Dmoceanu) July 31, 2012
Like the seven women who won gold before them, the Fab Five were solid throughout the day, securing America’s second ever gold in women’s team gymnastics. Maroney, whose only performance was on the vault, scored an amazing 16.233 on her vault attempt, starting the team off with a bang. Douglas, who was the only woman to compete in all four events, never wavered.
Following the competition, Jordyn Wieber tweeted an Instagram photo of her holding her Olympic Gold:
GOLD MEDAL!! instagr.am/p/Nwbzz2vVmF/
— Jordyn Wieber (@jordyn_wieber) July 31, 2012
Are you proud for the U.S. women’s gymnastics team’s winning gold, as the Fab Five brings home first place at the 2012 London Olympics since 1996?
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