United States' Simone Biles trains on the balance beam ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
With the women's gymnastics competition set to begin on Sunday in Rio, here's what you need to know before watching this popular Olympic event.
The name to watch. The 19-year-old from Ohio has won four straight national championships and three consecutive world all-around titles. Biles doesn't just beat the competition, she dominates it by a wide margin. Mary Lou Retton has called her the best she's ever seen.
Not only is the all-around gold medal hers to lose, but Biles is also the favorite to win the floor exercise and the beam as well. Though really, the 4-foot-9 powerhouse has the potential to walk away with six gold medals overall in Rio.
Don't count out Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman -- the two holdovers from the Fierce Five U.S. team that won gold in London in 2012. Douglas, as we all know, also won the all-around title in 2012, and finished second to Biles at the worlds in 2015. Raisman, who won individual gold in the floor exercise in 2012, just missed out on an all-around medal in London. But really, the all-around title is Biles' to lose.
There's a great depth of talent among the American women. Along with Biles, Douglas and Raisman, the team is rounded out by Madison Kocian, world champion in the uneven bars, and 16-year-old Laurie Hernandez, an all-around powerhouse who finished third in the national competition and is a favorite of
make or break a gymnast's career
Certainly, you don't want to see this after a routine:
A neck embrace, on the other hand, may be the greatest blessing of all.
double-layout with a half-twist
Artistic gymnastics did away with the perfect 10 scale and incorporated a more convoluted system starting in 2006. Now, there's a start value based on a routine's degree of difficulty (somewhere between 14 and 17, usually, for elite gymnasts). Then nine judges then deduct based on difficulty and technical quality of movement and artistic composition and execution.
Clear as mud? Good. Enjoy the show.
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