Rio2016: Russia, US top contenders in gymnastics

By Senabri Silvestre

SANTO DOMINGO, Dom. Rep. (AA) – Individual battles will be showcased in Rio but the gymnastics competition promises to be a fierce fight between the powers of the sport.

The United States and Russia, eternal rivals for supremacy, will try to dominate the event scheduled from Aug. 6 – 21 at the Olympic Arena.

China, which has 95 medals in gymnastics since the country debuted at the Helsinki Games in 1952, will also be full engaged in the competition for medals, as well as Japan, Romania and Ukraine.

The United States will try to add to its collection of 102 Olympic gymnastic medals some familiar faces who helped it win six medals at the London Games in 2012.

Among of them will be Gabby Douglas, who became the first black woman to win gold in the all-around competition and could be the first female to win back-to-back all-around gold since Czech Vera Caslavska did it at the Tokyo Games in 1964 and 1968 in Mexico City.

Three-time Olympic medalist Aly Raisman is also returning for the U.S. team. The overall favorite in the competition, however, is Simone Biles, a three-time all-around world champion and the first woman to win the title three times in a row.

The 19-year-old is considered by many to be one of the best athletes in the world, including the legendary Béla Károlyi, who coached Romanian Nadia Comaneci to the first perfect score at the 1976 Montreal Games.

Rio will be the first Olympics for Biles, who could walk away with five gold medals in the individual all-around, balance beam, floor exercise, vault and team competitions.

On the men's side for the Americans will be London Games bronze medalist Danell Leyva. Chris Brooks, Jacob Dalton, Sam Mikulak and Alexander Naddour round out the team that is expected to medal in Rio.

Russia´s team has won gold in four consecutive Olympics dating to the 2000 games in Sydney and will try to keep the streak alive in Rio to increase its medal count in the sport which stands at 53.

The team is looking to better the 12 medals it won at the last games with a strong five-person squad led by Aliya Mustafina, winner of three gold medals at the 2015 European championships and four Olympic medals, including gold on the uneven bars.

Reigning European champ on the vault, Maria Paseka, will also join the Russians. She managed to beat Biles on the apparatus at the 2015 World Championships.

Certainly not to be counted out in Rio is 10-time world champion Kohei Uchimara of Japan. He is considered by many to be the best athlete the sport has ever seen and will defend his all-around gold in Rio.

Romanian Catalina Ponor will also be vying for the same.

She won three gold medals at the 2004 games and a silver and bronze in London.