World gymnastics championships: U.S. women top qualifiers
Canada 7th as it eyes spot at Rio Olympics
In 15 minutes, it was over. Done. The message had been sent.
Five dynamic floor routines — one of them unforgettably done without the music — and whatever initial jitters the U.S. women's gymnastics team felt heading into the 2015 world championships vanished.
They were in their element. Packed arena. Bright lights. Ridiculous expectations. Even on a day the best team on the planet wasn't always at its best, the six young women in the bedazzled magenta leotards left little doubt. The gap between the U.S. and the rest of the world shows no signs of closing less than a year before the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Led by two-time defending world champion Simone Biles and resurgent Olympic gold medallist Gabby Douglas, the Americans posted a team score of 236.611, more than five points clear of second-place Russia, the equivalent to a three-touchdown blowout.
Barring the unexpected, Tuesday night's eight-team final is on pace to end just like every other major international competition has over the last four years: with the U.S. on top of the podium and the rest of the world looking up.
Way up.
Biles, Douglas, Aly Raisman, Maggie Nichols, Brenna Dowell and Madison Kocian spent four rotations showcasing the depth that makes the U.S. nearly unstoppable. One of them would start each stop around the SSE Hydro with a solid set only to have a teammate come right out and top it. When the rare misstep popped up, the mistake was easily erased under a format that allowed each team to drop its lowest score.
"We're all really strong," said Douglas, who finished second to Biles in all-around qualifying. "We're all really strong. We all have different things, different treasures we can contribute to U.S."
And no gymnast has more to add than Biles. Part powder keg, part technical marvel and all boundless energy, the 18-year-old hardly seemed burdened by her quest for a three-peat.
Biles' electric floor exercise ended with a bounce and a flourish. Her 15.933 was an exclamation point that the struggles endured by the so-so Russians, the sluggish Chinese and the injury decimated Romanians would not happen to the U.S. until things were well in hand.
"We love ending on (floor exercise)," said Biles, whose all-around total of 61.598 easily topped qualifying. "(But) to start off with a bang is pretty exciting too."
The world championships will continue through until Nov.1. CBC will have coverage on the new Road to the Olympic Games show, on Oct. 31.