RIO DE JANEIRO – The U.S. women’s gymnastics team won the Olympics by the largest margin in this scoring era. More impressively, they made Martha Karolyi cry.
“From my nature, I’m really not a sentimental person, honestly,” Karolyi said, deadpan, about 30 minutes after she wiped the tears. “I’m known for being really tough, so I felt like, what’s happening to me, really?”
Karolyi’s assembled squad of Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez and Madison Kocian delivered her overwhelming retirement gifts at the Olympic Arena on Tuesday afternoon.
First, they made good on everyone’s prediction of a gold-medal cakewalk, hitting 12 for 12 routines.