Photo: KARIM JAAFAR/AFP/Getty
With a commanding score of 171.629, Team USA was able to take home the gold medal at the world gymnastics championships in Doha, Qatar, with an 8.766 point lead over second place Russia. The United States has won every Olympic and world team title since 2011, and this is their largest lead at a major competition in that time, the teamannouncedfollowing their victory. China, who earned a 162.396, came in third.
Aly Raisman, the former gymnast who spoke out about abuse from Team USA doctorLarry Nassarearlier this year, tweeted about the team’s convincing performance.
“CONGRATS!!!!!! 🎈🎊🎉 😊,” Raismanwroteon Tuesday morning. “USA women’s gymnastics team continues to dominate 😊”
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Team USA’s massive win comes amid a time of upheaval for the organization. On October 16, the interim president of USA Gymnastics,Mary Bono, stepped down after she came under fire for a tweet she posted in September that showed her blacking out a white Nike logo on her shoes, which was an apparent attempt to show her disdain for the company’s choice to use former NFL quarterbackColin Kaepernickas the face of their 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign.
“Don’t worry, it’s not like we needed a smarter usa gymnastics president or any sponsors or anything,” Biles wrote on October 13, in atweetthat was liked more than 35,000 times.
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While the United States has already taken home gold, there are many programs left at the world championships — leaving the team with little time to relax before the competition comes to a close this weekend.
Both Biles and Hurd are going for the all-around title on Thursday and the uneven bars title on Friday,Team USAsays. Biles will also compete for her first vault world title on Friday, a floor exercise medal and a balance beam medal on Saturday.
source: people.com
