The women’s gymnastics event finals have concluded in Tokyo at the 2020 Olympic Games and medals were spread across the incredible field of athletes. Let’s recap the action and discuss each event as they did not disappoint.
Vault
After qualifications, USA’s Mykayla Skinner thought her gymnastics career was over. She did not qualify for any event finals and planned to retire following the Games. She thought she would leave Tokyo without a medal. When Simone Biles pulled out of the vault final, Skinner was given the chance to compete for a medal one last time.
Rebeca Andrade of Brazil took home the gold medal in this event. She added to the silver she already won in the all-around. It was Skinner who won the silver. She won her first Olympic medal after years of adversity. Bronze went to Yeo Seo-jeong from Korea.
Uneven Bars
Next up for event finals was the uneven bars.
Suni Lee of the USA was up first and missed connections in her routine. She scored lower than her qualifying score but still put up a very strong score. Angelina Melnikova also competed in this final but the ROC athlete had to drop off the bar.
It was Nina Derwael of Belgium who finished in the gold medal position. It was her country’s first-ever gold medal in Olympic gymnastics. Anastasiia Iliankova took the silver medal and Lee finished third, claiming the bronze medal.
Floor
It was Jade Carey’s time to shine. The American gymnastic qualified for Tokyo as an individual and after not medalling on vault or in the all-around, she wanted to go for gold. Her difficulty was the highest of any competitor in this competition and she certainly showed why she was a favourite to win this event.
Carey held on to win gold. The silver medal was won by Vanessa Ferrari, a 30-year-old from Italy. This competition had two athletes tie for the bronze medal. Mai Murakami of Japan and Melnikova of ROC shared the third spot on the podium.
Balance Beam
Beam was the return of not just one but two top-tier gymnasts. Biles made her return to the competition after dealing with “the twisties” for the better part of the games. Also making their return was Canadian gymnast, Ellie Black, who was out with an injury after qualifications.
Biles had a strong showing on beam and executed her skills beautifully. Her smile after dismounting said it all. Her routine put her in a medal position. Lee, unfortunately, lost her balance during her routine, putting her in fifth place.
Guan Chenchen and Tang Xijing from China finished first and second respectively on beam. It was Biles who took home the bronze, her seventh Olympic medal. This medal ties her with Shannon Miller as the most decorated American gymnast. Black finished just behind Biles in fourth place.
Gymnastics in Tokyo let us in on so many incredible stories and athletes. We saw strength, resilience and perseverance in various ways. These athletes continue to set the bar at the highest possible level. Continue to check back for more Unbenched Tokyo 2020 content.
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