Raisman takes silver at Rio in head-to-head with teammate Biles

Jewish-American gymnast earns third medal in 2016 games, sixth overall in Olympic career

By ToI Staff 16 August 2016, 9:58 pm

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US gymnast Simone Biles (R) and her compatriot Alexandra Raisman celebrate after the women's individual all-around final of the Artistic Gymnastics at the Olympic Arena during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on August 11, 2016. (AFP PHOTO / Emmanuel DUNAND)

Jewish-American gymnast Aly Raisman won the silver medal at the 2016 Rio Games on Tuesday, competing against teammate and reigning world champion Simone Biles who took gold.

This was Raisman’s third medal during Rio and six overall in her Olympic career. She took home a gold medal in the floor exercise in London four years ago.

Last week, Raisman took silver at the women’s all-around gymnastics competition. Biles took gold.

The 19-year-old Biles on Tuesday completed an extraordinary stretch that included a team gold for the “Final Five” as well as individual golds in the all-around and vault and bronze on balance beam.

Her five medals tie the most for an American woman in a single Olympics and her four golds tie an Olympic record shared by three others.

Biles embraced longtime coach Aimee Boorman shortly after her routine, which included a tumbling pass named in her honor and a Brazilian-themed segment intended to play to the crowd in Rio. She beamed when her score of 15.966 was posted.

The American women’s gymnastics team came in first place in the qualifying for the team finals with a score of 185.238 points, ahead of second place China with a score of 175.279 and third place Russia with 174.620.