Best Team Captain
Gold Medalist: Aly Raisman.
I was having a hard time with this, I was thinking of putting Aliya Mustafina of Russia in this slot, but infinite victory went to Alexandra Raisman. She was without a doubt the most devoted team captain. She coached her team through the best times, ok times, and even the worst times during the course of the Olympics. She was a true team captain, and went home with three London medals, two of them that she had won herself, but she coached USA to the gold, she encouraged them. Aly was a true team leader, thats why I gave her the gold for best Team Captain.
I was having a hard time with this, I was thinking of putting Aliya Mustafina of Russia in this slot, but infinite victory went to Alexandra Raisman. She was without a doubt the most devoted team captain. She coached her team through the best times, ok times, and even the worst times during the course of the Olympics. She was a true team captain, and went home with three London medals, two of them that she had won herself, but she coached USA to the gold, she encouraged them. Aly was a true team leader, thats why I gave her the gold for best Team Captain.
Silver Medalist- Aliya Mustafina.
Like I said, I struggled with this, it was between Aly and Aliya for best team captain. Aly did deserve her gold medal in this category, but Aliya was shortly behind with the silver. Aliya was selfless in the team competition, helping her teammates with their skills in warmups, and even hitting all her events, as well as cheering on her teammates. Aliya comforted all her teammates when gold went to the USA. She was a leading example of leadership, thats why she has the silver medal, and nearly beat Aly for Gold
Like I said, I struggled with this, it was between Aly and Aliya for best team captain. Aly did deserve her gold medal in this category, but Aliya was shortly behind with the silver. Aliya was selfless in the team competition, helping her teammates with their skills in warmups, and even hitting all her events, as well as cheering on her teammates. Aliya comforted all her teammates when gold went to the USA. She was a leading example of leadership, thats why she has the silver medal, and nearly beat Aly for Gold
Bronze Medalist- Australia's Lauren Mitchell
Australia's Lauren Mitchell is the heart and soul of team Australia, making history by winning a gold medal at Worlds in 2010, on the floor exercise. She was experienced, and helped her team place 9th, disappointingly not qualifying into team or beam finals, but giving it a go. If the legendary Lauren Mitchell comes back from retirement in time for Rio, she will get her team into the team final, and maybe get them to medal.
Australia's Lauren Mitchell is the heart and soul of team Australia, making history by winning a gold medal at Worlds in 2010, on the floor exercise. She was experienced, and helped her team place 9th, disappointingly not qualifying into team or beam finals, but giving it a go. If the legendary Lauren Mitchell comes back from retirement in time for Rio, she will get her team into the team final, and maybe get them to medal.
Best Spirited Team
Gold Medalists: Canada
Team Canada has never made it into team finals, but that changed in London, they sent team Canada into the finals slipping in the slot before Australia. They had the best time of their lives in the team finals. For them, getting into the team final was their gold medal. They got a gold medal, both in triplewhip's book, and most importantly, theirs.
Silver Medalist- Team Australia
Even though Australia didn't make the cut, they had fun. They performed every routine like it would be their last. I was devastated when they didn't make the cut, and hoping they will in Rio. I think they will, if they have Lauren, Lauren is the true spirit of that team. Maybe they can do it themselves, without Lauren, because I am pretty much sure she's retired for good. We'll just have to see what happens when 2016 rolls around
Bronze- Team Romania
And in the final position, is team Romania, I thought it would be best to stay clear of USA for a round, but Romania definitely wins the bronze, they were in a neck to neck battle with China, the champions in 2008. It was down to vault, three Chinese, three Romanians. All Romanians drilled their vaults, and they ended up winning, and when they saw that they slid in a medal position for the 10th year in a row, they were PRETTY spirited.
Most Artistic
Gold Medal- Alexandra Raisman, USA
Aly Raisman had a lot of artistry packed in her tribute towards her Jewish Background. She danced her way among the floor, and managed to get a lot of tricks and stunts in there as well. She can also work artistry into a beam routine. (Bars, vault, eh, not so much)
Silver Medal- Jordyn Wieber-
Jordyn's gymnastics redefines artistry, just watch her videos, she can even put a little bit in a bars routine, a lot in a beam routine, and a pinch in a vault. She redefines artistry and makes it her own, she can mix power and artistry, tweaking artistry along the way, and still making it amazing to watch.
Bronze Medal- Larisa Iorodache
Larisa is the best that Romania's had in a while, she has the perfect package of gymnastics skills. She can even swing bars! And has more artistry than the average Romanian (And yes, its possible) She has grace, artistry, power, and all the other things, she is a Romanian pedigree.
Bronze Medal: Diana Bulimar
Diana was so cute at the Olympics, and for her age she is so good on beam, but like the rest of the Romanians, she needs to do better on bars. But she is a steady 3 event gymnast that Romania can depend on. She has the international look on 3 out of the 4 events that judges love. She wraps up Romania's top three in London.
Silver Medal- Jordyn Wieber-
Jordyn's gymnastics redefines artistry, just watch her videos, she can even put a little bit in a bars routine, a lot in a beam routine, and a pinch in a vault. She redefines artistry and makes it her own, she can mix power and artistry, tweaking artistry along the way, and still making it amazing to watch.
Bronze Medal- Larisa Iorodache
Larisa is the best that Romania's had in a while, she has the perfect package of gymnastics skills. She can even swing bars! And has more artistry than the average Romanian (And yes, its possible) She has grace, artistry, power, and all the other things, she is a Romanian pedigree.
Best Sportsmanship
Gold Medal: Jordyn Wieber.
When Jo missed out on the all around, she managed to pull herself together in time to go to team competition and pull herself together and cheer her teammates on. Come all around, she was in the stands, cheering "Gabby! Aly!" She
Silver Medalist- Aly Raisman
Aly showed sportsmanship when she lost out on all around bronze, she hugged all the medalists, and patted teammate Gabby Douglas on the back. I especially saw Aly's sportsmanship in team finals, when she slipped away from the American grandeur to go hug the Russians, then to the Romanians, then to the Chinese. The top four, and she probably didn't stop there. It was really great. And when she won bronze on beam over Catalina Ponor, she didn't rub it in her face, she just hugged her and said it will be ok. And finally in the floor finals, she hugged the silver medalist: Catalina Ponor, and the bronze medalist Aliya (I thought that was ironic, because Aliya bested her in AA, and now she bested her.) But instead of saying, in yo face, Aly said congrats on the bronze, maybe next time
Bronze Medalist:
Aliya Mustafina:
I know that Aliya had amazing sportsmanship, but lets face it, she also had medals, Aly and Jo had to overcome disappointment, Aliya just had to be knocked down a peg, but she does have amazing sportsmanship, she did not go to the corners when the Fierce Five won gold, she went up and hugged them, and then went into the corner. When she won the bronze AA, Bronze floor, and gold bars, she was always humble when she won bars, congratulatory when she won the bronze in AA, and floor.
Best Romanian Gymnast
Gold Medal:
Larisa Ioradache: She was a phenom. She was a first year senior, and it was like out of the box exploding. She twisted on vault, flew on bars, flipped on bars, and cartwheeled on floor, she was a great all arounder for Romania. She is still competing today, and she is Romania's best shot at glory.
Silver Medal: Catalina Ponor
Catalina Ponor. She took the leadership role for team Romania, she was the obvious team captain. She had the experience that flew them to London, and won them the bronze. Catalina has experience as a gold medalist, and made her country proud in the team and floor competitions.
Diana was so cute at the Olympics, and for her age she is so good on beam, but like the rest of the Romanians, she needs to do better on bars. But she is a steady 3 event gymnast that Romania can depend on. She has the international look on 3 out of the 4 events that judges love. She wraps up Romania's top three in London.
Best Eldest Gymnast
Gold Medal: Oksana Chusovitina
Oksana Chusovitina, at 37 years old is an amazing gymnast. She knows more about the gymnastics scene than anyone else. She can compare the newest gymnastics to the older gymnastics, and she doesn't even have to sit before her computer to watch it! She lived it!
Silver Medal- Beth Tweddle
Beth can swing bars! She was Great Britain's best shot at Olympic Glory, but she had to settle for bronze in bars finals, but she did make GB proud, as she was the only one to win an Olympic medal on home turf!! Woo hoo Beth! I was so happy when I saw her bars routine. She was an amazing gymnast, a really cool elder gymnast, and I am so very sad that she retired.
Bronze Medalist- Aly Raisman
She may not be as old as Oksana, but she was the oldest gymnast on team USA. she had tons of experience and has amazing skills, she was definitely the best eldest gymnast on team USA, but not as awesome as Oksana or Beth, but she bested Catalina for the medal (Ironic, but you will only see the irony if you watched London)
Silver Medal- Beth Tweddle
Beth can swing bars! She was Great Britain's best shot at Olympic Glory, but she had to settle for bronze in bars finals, but she did make GB proud, as she was the only one to win an Olympic medal on home turf!! Woo hoo Beth! I was so happy when I saw her bars routine. She was an amazing gymnast, a really cool elder gymnast, and I am so very sad that she retired.
Bronze Medalist- Aly Raisman
She may not be as old as Oksana, but she was the oldest gymnast on team USA. she had tons of experience and has amazing skills, she was definitely the best eldest gymnast on team USA, but not as awesome as Oksana or Beth, but she bested Catalina for the medal (Ironic, but you will only see the irony if you watched London)
Most Impressive Bar Sets
Gold Medal- Aliya Mustafina
Well, Aliya actually won the gold medal in London. Her handstands were perfect, her releases high flying, it was so amazing, and when she scored the 16.100 in All-around finals, at following up with a 16,133 in bars finals, it was truly amazing. Making it the Most Impressive bar set ever seen. It was so amazing, that I re watched it over and over and over again. Did you?
Silver Medal- Elisabeth Seitz
Elisabeth had a dynamic barset that blew my mind, her releases were perfect, her handstands vertical, and her full twisting Gienger was sky high, explodingly amazing. She was amazing. She could have silver medaled in bars, but didn't win it, because of some handstand difficulties.
Bronze Medal: Beth Tweddle
Something about Beth's game was off, her release moves weren't as huge, handstands as perfectm thats why Seitz beat her for silver.
Best Mixed Group Gymnast
Gold Medal: Greece's Vasiliki Millousi
Vasiliki had true class as a gymnast. She had great flowing lines, awesome handstands, nice release moves, and thats just bars! She had awesome skills on beam as well, a great floor exercise, and a very steady vault. She is a really cool gymnast. I hope she continues in her gymnastics journey, because I believe that Vasiliki can do amazing things for Greece. She did win gold at 2012 Euros, and setting a record for her country, if she can go to Rio, she will do it, she can win the medals and make history for her country, Greece
Silver Medal- Giulia Steingruber
Switzerland's Giulia Steingruber could have contended for the gold medal in this category, but Vasiliki won gold, but Steingruber was quickly behind with the silver medal. She was beautiful in the all around, her vault amazing, bars great, beam phenomenal, floor elegant, and among other things, her routines amazing. She impressed me, and I am so glad she is continuing her gymnastics journey and trying to contend for gold, silver, bronze. She can do it, she can make history for Switzerland.
Bronze Medal- Marta Pihan Kulesza
Poland's Marta Pihan Kulesza is truly amazing and a great gymnast, her hair can be seen from a city away, with her sparkly golden highlights, and she has the grace and artistry that the judges love so very much. She is an all arounder, but her two best events are beam and floor, just like Giulia and Vasiliki
Best Moments of the Team Finals
Gold Medal: Fierce Five Win Gold
This was by far the best moment of the team finals, they waved from the top of the podium, and the Fierce Five won gold for only the second time. They deserved the gold medal after everything they went through. I was rooting all the time for them
Silver: Team Canada gets their gold, and performs well
Just getting in, team Canada got their gold. They placed in 5th, which was like a platinum medal, more than they thought they could do. They were awesome in the team final, and they survived losing their team captain, Peng Peng Lee, to injury.
Bronze Medal: Romania Gets onto podium for the 10th Olympics in a row.
Well, we all know that Romania has medaled in the team final for the last couple quads, in 2008, they did it for the ninth time. The Romanians were encouraged to get into the team finals and get a medal in a team final for the tenth Olympics in a row. The Romanian gymnastics team completed their golds, beating China for bronze. They really fulfilled their purpose, and got their tenth team medal. Romania deserved it, and I am so very proud of them for realizing their dreams, and going for it! Go for the bronze!
Best Floor Routines
Gold Medal- Alexandra Raisman
Aly was amazing. Her floor routine had power, her artistry apparent, she was performing to a song that was linked to her religion, Jewish. It was called Hava Nagilia. I loved her music, and the way Aly performed her routine. She danced around the floor, tumbled, and leapt. Her routine was truly the best, hence her Olympic gold medal, and the one awarded to her by Triplewhip.
Silver Medal- Jordyn Wieber
Jo's routine was amazing, with her floor music: Ruslana by Wild Dances, she using an instrumental version. I loved watching Jo dance her heart out, tumble it out. She could have contended for silver or even Aly's gold if she hadn't injured her leg and gotten a stress fracture halfway through the routine, her routine was that good. Because Jo truly redefines artistry.
Bronze Medal- Lauren Mitchell
I loved Lo's floor routine, It was truly phenomenal. She made it so. She constantly surprised me with every pass, I was completely devastated when Lo didn't get that historic medal for Australia. But thats just the way the cookie crumbles, but Lo should know that she got the medal in triplewhips book because she deserves it for being so elegant and powerful. She danced around the floor and tumbled, just pure amazing bronze medal material floor routines
Bronze Medal- Lauren Mitchell
I loved Lo's floor routine, It was truly phenomenal. She made it so. She constantly surprised me with every pass, I was completely devastated when Lo didn't get that historic medal for Australia. But thats just the way the cookie crumbles, but Lo should know that she got the medal in triplewhips book because she deserves it for being so elegant and powerful. She danced around the floor and tumbled, just pure amazing bronze medal material floor routines
Happiest Medalists:
Gold Medal: Team USA: Winning the Gold
Team USA was oh so happy when they won the gold medal, they hadn't been in that position since 1996, and they loved the feeling of the gold medal around their necks. It was so marvelous for them. And they certainly made us proud. They were crying hugging screaming laughing, all the emotions that could possibly be felt, felt. It was so great for USA.
Silver Medal: Aly Raisman Medals Gold in floor
Aly had dealt with the devastation of losing a medal to Aliya, but she also medaled bronze in the beam finals, but that is bronze. Aly wanted to win something again, she wanted a gold medal, and when the scores were finalized, and her 15.600 was on top, she cried, hugged Mihai, and went to claim her medal. She was so happy. The reason why Aly wanted a ind. medal? So she could prove to herself that she can win a gold without her team, she can do it independently. Its so amazing, Aly is an amazing Gymnast
Bronze Medalist- Romania Wins Bronze, medals in team finals for 10 Olympics in a row
When Romania won the bronze over China, they knew that they had just passed a huge milestone. They had medaled ten times in a row, Romania is truly a strong team. One of the top four teams in this wonderful sport we know as Artistic Gymnastics. If you were a gymnastics buff for the most of your life, you know that since Nadia Comeneci, the legendary Romanian gymnast, that team Romania has always been a strong strong strong team.
Best Routines of the Team Finals
Gold Medalist: McKayla's Stellar Vault
We all remember Mac's perfect vault right? The vault that was so perfect, judges mouths dropped?Stuck landing? McKayla nailed that vault. Some people asked why it was so great
In the lane: Perfect round-off
On the horse: Perfect block
In the air: Pitch perfect form
On the floor: Perfect stuck landing
Silver Medalist: Aly Raisman's floor:
Perhaps the most tear jerking routine, Aly performed it like a hero, and as she hit her finishing pose, Aly knew she had it. She started crying as she saluted, which made me start crying because USA had it. Aly had it.
Bronze Medalist: Catalina's Beam
2004 Champ Catalina mounted that piece of wood once again. We love Cata on beam. We haven't seen her on beam since Athens, and were so excited to see her once again. I was enticed by the power of her routine. She definitely pushed Romania towards bronze with that stellar routine!
The Worst Routines
Gold Medalist: Anastasia Grishina's Floor
We all know Anastasia's floor routine, stumbling landings, falls outa bounds. It was so very bad that I, as a gymnastics aficionado, and a great lover of the sport, wanted to cover my eyes, but my goal was never to miss a routine of London, so I didn't so I had to muster my tears as I watched as she kept falling, stumbling and stepping into the red area. My friend called me from her home and said. "Wow did you see Grishie? Her floor routine was like........ wow.". I had to agree. Grishina's routine was too bad for words. I was horrified at the routine, leaving me to want to see a hit routine by Russia. I managed to find a pic vid of the worst pass.
Silver Medal: Ksenia Afaneyseva's Team Final Floor Routine
Once again, A Russian gymnast falls. Ksenia fell on her last pass during floor, she wanted to finish it out strong, but ran out of energy to do so. So we watched as Ksenia fell. She fell down, and a routine was gone for team Russia
Bronze Medalist: Gabby's Beam Fall
So, all around and team champion Gabby Douglas in beam finals............. Not as successful. she split the beam on a simple ring leap, one that bronze medalist Alexandra Raisman did perfectly. I cringed when I saw Gabby Fall, I could have seen her get another medal. She was a great gymnast, and had been having terrific Olympics so far, but when she fell off beam in the Finals, we saw traces of the 2011 Gabby. So, that was that, Gabby fell, Aly won the bronze that Gabby was favored to win.
