Olympic champions talk back, finally — Other gym news

If you like redemption arcs, snappy clapbacks, and Taylor Swift breakup songs, this was probably a pretty great week for you as a gymnastics fan. I mean, it was a pretty good week to be a gymnastics fan, PERIODT, as Jordan Chiles would say — but there were a few extra reasons beyond all the gold and rhinestones to smile this week. 

I wrote here a couple of weeks ago about MyKayla Skinner’s feedback on the Olympic Trials and the women’s team selection. ICYMI, Skinner criticized the “work ethic” of gymnasts in the quad (well, triad) since her own retirement, suggested that coaches couldn’t be tough enough with the advent of SafeSport, and then singled out members of the women’s team for looks- and personality-based reasons that had little to do with their athleticism or the performances that landed them on the team. 

It was a lot. It was deleted, followed by a simpering apology and a carefully-worded PR statement appearing in its place. 

Then, the women’s team won a gold medal this week at the Olympics. Simone Biles had words. 

And it seemed like every prominent member of the Olympic community did, too – if you go through the comments on Biles’ post, you’ll recognize fellow gymnasts like McKayla Maroney, Nastia Liukin, and Dominique Moceanu, but also swimmer Simone Manuel and skier Mikaela Shiffrin. 

In response, MyKayla Skinner hit the block button. Biles, via Chiles’ Instagram Story, had words about that, too. 

In the press conference following the team final, Aly Raisman asked team captain Biles for the official name of this year’s team. What followed was some hasty whispering between Biles and Chiles, a struggle to come up with the right acronym, and an entirely legendary moment in sports history. We present the FAFO Five:

We love to see it. 

The cherry on top, of course, was Biles’ gold and Suni Lee’s bronze in the all-around final, flanking Rebeca Andrade of Brazil with the silver. It was the first podium of repeat all-around medalists, the first Pan-American all-around podium at the Olympics and the first all-POC all-around podium at the Olympics. 

And we still have event finals to go! 

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This back-and-forth between Skinner and the Olympic team might seem petty in the greater scheme of things — girl drama, I’m sure some might call it. But it’s important to remember that this type of behavior used to be entirely one-sided. Skinner’s words used to be the only ones that got out. You’re not worthy, even when you win, was the message from the old regime, the one Skinner seems to idealize. 

But now we’re hearing the other side, from the survivors and the thrivers. We got out, we worked through our (considerable) hardships, and we have the gold hardware to prove it. Every woman on this year’s team has been through a difficult situation in the last several years and come out on the other side. Four out of the five are second-time Olympians soaking in the audience that they could not have in Tokyo. And they are telling us that it is their time. We must listen. 

Other gym news

Liveblogs galore. From The Balance Beam Situation, qualifications, the team final, and the all-around final. 

From The Gymternet, qualifications results, the team final, and the all-around final. 

College Gym News celebrated Chiles, Lee, and Jade Carey, NCAA standouts and now Olympic gold medalists. 

While on the topic of AA finalists and NCAA athletes, we’d be remiss not to mention Alabama alum Luisa Blanco, who placed 23rd overall and became Colombia’s first female gymnast ever to compete in an Olympic final. 

I wrote about Simone Biles’ gold medal chances in every final for which she qualified for Bleacher Report. Not to brag, but I’m now two for two. 

And esteemed The IX alumna Jessica Taylor Price joined me over at Bleacher Report with this article about Biles changing the gymnastics culture. 

Alice Kinsella of Great Britain has been strong on her social media game this week. 

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Social media posts of the week

The FAFO Five discussed making TikToks immediately after their win. These are equally deserving of gold medals, IMHO.