Rio 2016: US women run riot in team event

US gymnasts Simone Biles (from left), Gabrielle Douglas, Lauren Hernandez, Madison Kocian and Alexandra Raisman celebrate on the podium after winning the women’s team gold in artistic gymnastics in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday. (Photo: AFP )

Simone Biles got her bid for a record five gold medals at the Rio Olympics off to a flying start as the United States women coasted to a team gymnastics title defence on Tuesday.

The five-woman US team — Biles, Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman, Madison Kocian and Laurie Hernandez — claimed gold by a margin of over eight points on Russia with China winning bronze in the Rio Olympic Arena.

“It’s everything and more than I’d hoped it to be,” said Biles, 19, who was too young to compete in London 2012.

She has dominated women’s gymnastics over the past three years — winning 10 world titles — and is looking to aad to her haul in the all-around, floor, beam and vault finals in Rio.

“It didn’t feel like the Olympics. That helped us,” said the Texan. “It felt like one more routine and we kept calm.”

The weight of expectation after leading qualifiers by over 10 points had only made them stronger, said Raisman, a gold medal winner in London.

“We were heavy favourites, but we tried to use that pressure as motivation,” said the 22-year-old.

The US women become the first team to win back-to-back Olympic golds since Romania in 2000 and 2004. It was their third gold after winning a first in Atlanta 1996.

Three-time world all-around champion Biles was the only American to compete on all four apparatus — vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor — with all scores counting and no room for error.

She made it look easy as hit 15.933 on the vault, followed by 14.800 on uneven bars.