The Soviet Union dominated women’s artistic gymnastics and its last team – the Unified Team – won team gold in 1992. But after the breakdown, Russian women were never able to get that coveted gold medal, even when Svetlana Khorkina was competing. They were very close in 2012 but mistakes left them in the silver-medal position. Russia also has not been able to win the team gold at Worlds since 2010. The foreshadowing of today’s results happened at the 2019 Junior Worlds when Russian juniors won gold over China and the USA. Two of the gymnasts from that team, Vladislava Urazova and Viktoria Listunova, were on the Russian team today. While Russian women got used to competing for the silver when they kept finishing many points behind the US team, Urazova and Listunova don’t have that experience and they were clearly going for gold here.
In April, after the European Championships, Valentina Rodionenko claimed that the current Russian team can beat the US easily if the US competes without Simone Biles. In the qualification, Russia showed that they can actually beat the US even with Biles on the team but the fact that Biles withdrew from the competition today surely didn’t hurt Russia’s gold chances. Despite two falls on beam, Russia was solid on other events and finished the competition over three points ahead of the US winning the first ever Olympic team gold in WAG.
Great Britain finished in a surprising third place after having a great day, while the bronze favorites China made multiple mistakes and finished 7th.
Angelina Melnikova said that Russian men winning gold yesterday inspired the women’s team:
“After the qualification, we realized that we could fight for the gold. So, it’s really hard for us emotionally right now. The men’s team victory inspired us, of course, it’s pride, the guys hadn’t won gold in 25 years.”
Viktoria Listunova also noted how the qualification and the men’s team final inspired them:
“We all strived for this medal. The guys’ victory charged us even more. We started to believe that everything’s possible after the qualification. We didn’t miss our chance and we did it.”
Lilia Akhaimova said that in addition to men’s victory, they were convinced by Melnikova’s prediction about the final:
“Only a day passed since the guys’ victory, we cheered for them in our apartment. We are incredibly happy that we managed to repeat their success. A year and a half have passed [since the last team competition], it was hard, we were deprived of being with our families, we were at camps, we got through that and I think we did a good job. Melnikova said today that she had a feeling [that we would win]. And we believed her. Now we need to take this feeling everywhere with us. We believed in it together, it’s amazing when you know it’s meant to be.”
Melnikova said they did not pay attention to the fact that Biles withdrew but they felt that the US team cheered for each other more loudly:
“Simone [withdrawing] wasn’t distracting to us, we were focused on our routines and tried not to pay attention to it. of course, we felt that the Americans supported each other really strongly. And we were supported each other weakly. [laughs] It’s just that we’re more shy on the competition floor but are completely different off the floor.”
Listunova echoed this:
“We didn’t pay attention to this, we were just doing our work. We showed what we did in training. We can’t explain the fact of her mistakes, that’s not an appropriate question. Anything can happen in life, she is also human.”
Melnikova was one of the gymnasts that felt on the beam but overall she said she was less nervous than in Rio:
“I was nervous after beam but felt a bit not like myself after it. We are so drained that it’s even hard to talk, I can’t think straight.”
“The Rio Olympics were more emotional for me. I was little, there were screams, noise, huge crowds. I was more nervous when I competed there. But now I was more confident on two events. It’s much easier to compete here. I was only 16 there, like Vika is here. She’s really nervous, everyone’s calming her down. I was also like that [in Rio].”
Vladislava Urazova who also fell on beam said the team supported her and that calmed her down:
“I was really nervous after beam. But then I got myself together and felt the team’s support.”
Melnikova and Urazova will compete in the all-around final and all four gymnasts qualified to event finals. Melnikova believes this victory will help them in the individual finals as well:
“It will be easier for us now. When you already have a medal in your bag, it’s always easier.”
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