Why are the USA women’s gymnasts called the Final Five?
After winning the women’s gymnastics team gold medal, Team USA announced their self-proclaimed moniker: the Final Five. But what does it mean?
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Every year during the summer Olympics, nicknames are given to athletes and teams that represent their vast accomplishments. GOAT (Greatest of All Time) seems to be a popular one, and particularly suited for Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky. The 1992 men’s basketball team shall forever be known as the Dream Team. The women’s gymnastics team is no stranger to nicknames; they’re usually given to them by the media and they become huge catchphrases after the Olympics end. Previous women’s gymnastics teams have been known as the Fab Five and the Fierce Five.
This year, Team USA, made up of Gabby Douglas, Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Laurie Hernandez and Madison Kocian, knew what they wanted to be called, but they kept it a closely held secret until they won the team gold medal. As soon as they received the final score that ensured their big win, they gathered around the television cameras and announced, “We’re the Final Five!”
The Final Five.
Team USA chose a very fitting name, even though it may appear at first to be misleading. Americans might try to link the name to the Final Four NCAA tournament structure made popular in basketball. However, the name actually refers to a few things. The 2016 Rio Olympics mark the end of the five-member gymnastics team. In 2020 the games move to a four-member structure, so they are the last five-member team. There is also the matter of the collection of gold medals and world titles won by the team over the last few years, totaling five.
Most tellingly, though, is the sentimental reason behind the name. Olympics coaching legend Martha Karolyi, formerly of the Romanian gymnastics program that fell under the umbrella of the Soviet Union, and head of the Team USA gymnastics program since 2001, is retiring after decades of work in the sport. Karolyi and her husband Bela leave behind a legacy of greatness in the sport, and what better way to pay tribute to them than for the 2016 team gold medalists to dedicate their team to her. All five of the gymnasts agreed that paying tribute to their coach was incredibly important because they are the last group to work under her guidance.
There are still individual gold medals to be won in the coming nights, but for now, the Final Five have succeeded in taking home team gold and honoring a gymnastics legend.