RIO DE JANEIRO _ Aly Raisman stretched her legs. So did Simone Biles. Madison Kocian briefly rubbed the shoulders of teammate Laurie Hernandez.
The three American gymnasts _ Raisman, Biles and Hernandez _ were trying to stay loose and limber before their final event, the floor exercise, in the women's Olympic gymnastics team final on Tuesday at Rio Olympic Arena.
With a nearly five-point lead heading into the final rotation, the U.S. completed its mission with aplomb, winning gold on Tuesday with an effort that featured a devastating mix of skill and showmanship under major pressure.
This was a second consecutive Olympic gold medal in the team event for the U.S. women and was the final international campaign for the legendary Martha Karolyi, the team's national coordinator. In 2012, the U.S. beat second-place Russia by more than five points
This time it was by an 8.2-point margin.
China captured bronze.
Karolyi said it may have been the first time she had cried at an Olympics since Nadia Comaneci of Romania won her first gold medal in Montreal in 1976.
"I think that was the only time, probably," Karolyi said. "From my nature, I'm really not a sentimental person."
That drew some laughter from the assembled media members.
"I'm known (for) being very tough," she said. "I felt like, 'Oh, what's happening to me? What is this?' "
Many of the gymnasts can't imagine the sport without Karolyi coaching. She said she won't change her mind, smiling: "I guess I will have to become a normal person."
