Tipped hand? Will Raisman join Biles, Douglas in all-around?
RIO DE JANEIRO — Martha Karolyi wouldn’t reveal the U.S. women’s gymnastics team lineup if she could avoid it, but the team’s podium training might have tipped her hand as to who will compete in the all-around.
Three-time world champion Simone Biles is a given, and defending Olympic all-around gold medalist Gabby Douglas seems primed to take another spot after improving since her subpar performance at nationals and trials.
After their routines at the Rio Olympic Arena on Thursday, it looks like veteran Aly Raisman will get another chance at the all-around ahead of first-year senior Laurie Hernandez.
“It obviously would mean a lot to me,” Raisman said. “I know that it is between me and Laurie, but at the same time, I think that we both kind of have the mindset that we’ve done everything that we possibly can. We both respect each other for it.
“Of course I would like to do it, but at the same time, I’ll be happy if she gets it, too.”
All five gymnasts trained on each event, but the order of the first four on each likely showed where the lineup is heading for Sunday’s qualifying round.
Of course, Karolyi hasn’t made the Americans dominant in her time as national team coordinator by picking anything other than the team with the best chance to medal. So if she sees something in the team’s two training sessions on Saturday, that lineup could change.
But Raisman looks primed to get another chance at what she missed in London. She competed in the all-around there, but she lost out on the bronze medal because of a tiebreak rule.
“It’s a big deal for any one of them, not just for her,” said Mihai Brestyan, Raisman’s coach. “But for her, it’s special because she can maybe prove this time 'I can make it.' I think she is better prepared than she was in London and even mental she’s way better prepared. She’s much more confident this time. She has higher level on every event.”
For Hernandez — who at 16 is one of the youngest American athletes at the Games — it would be tough. But like Raisman, she wants what is best for the team.
“We don’t exactly know what’s going on, but if I were to not do bars and not do all-around, then I think that we have to do what’s best for the team,” Hernandez said. “I was picked here so I can contribute and if bars is not where I am going to contribute, obviously the team needs something that’s gonna help us a little more.”
Brestyan and Maggie Haney, Hernandez’s coach, said experience paid into the decision. Raisman, who at 22 is the veteran and team captain, has a team gold medal and floor exercise gold from London.
The decision would come as a bit of a surprise after Hernandez finished third at nationals and second at trials in July. But Douglas has improved in the camp since the team was selected, and Biles was a virtual lock.
“The way the puzzle fit together, certain people needed to be in certain spots, and I have to respect the decision that was made,” Haney said. “Martha knows what she’s doing.”
Ultimately, only two Americans are able (and likely) to make the final, so one of the three all-arounders will be on the outside looking in come Sunday.