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 Last beaten in 2010, the American women have since won three world
titles and the 2012 Olympic gold.
Anyone in the chasing pack hoping to catch a glimpse of weakness in
a team that features twice all-around world champion Simone Biles
and Olympic gold medalists Gabby Douglas and Alexandra Raisman was
left sorely disappointed on Tuesday.
While the Americans were the only competitors not to suffer a mishap
on any of the four apparatus, their rivals slipped up.
China's Wang Yan fell off the balance beam, Britain's Ellie Downie
ended up on her hands and knees after losing her grip from the
asymmetric bars, while Russia's three gymnasts suffered crash
landings on the balance beam.
Amid the chaos and commotion at Glasgow's Hydro Arena, the Americans
were a picture of single-minded focus as they stuck one landing
after another.
“The girls did their jobs. We went out there and had fun with it. It
comes from all the practices we’ve done. We’re so prepared for
this," said Biles as she collected her seventh gold medal in her
third world championships.
"We came into it mentally stronger. We were like, ‘OK, we’re
actually really prepared for this, maybe even over-prepared, so
let’s go and have some fun.’ I think that’s what we all did."
Biles, who on Thursday will aim to become the first woman to win
three successive world all-around titles, did not put a toe wrong
during the competition.
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She earned 15.966 for her soaring and gravity-defying Amanar vault,
15.200 on the beam -- a routine that included her spinning around
900 degrees on her right toes -- and 15.733 on the floor.
"Simone has so much energy, my God! We try to figure out what her
secret is," said Raisman. "We all look up to her. She’s amazing. I
love to train with her because she always pushes me to the next
level.”
With Douglas, Margaret Nichols, Raisman and Madison Kocian proving
to be a dazzling support act to Biles, the Americans look
unstoppable but are taking nothing for granted.
"We never assume we’ll be in first place," said team coordinator
Marta Karolyi, under whose guidance the Americans have won five of
the last women's team golds.
"We always say even when you are (in first place) you have to work
even harder. Only through dedication and hard work you can get
better. That’s our philosophy."
(Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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