Final Five (gymnastics)

Raisman and Douglas were both part of the gold medal winning team, dubbed the Fierce Five, at the 2012 London Olympics where Douglas won gold in the all-around and Raisman won gold on the floor event and bronze on the balance beam.

Biles won gold at the 2013 World Championships in the individual all-around and on floor exercise. She also won silver on vault and bronze on balance beam.[1]

Biles and Kocian were part of the 2014 World Championship gold medal winning team. Biles additionally won gold in the all-around, on floor exercise, and on balance beam. She also won silver on vault.[2]

Biles, Raisman, Douglas, and Kocian were all part of the 2015 World Championship gold medal winning team. Biles won gold in the all-around and Douglas won the silver. Biles also won gold on floor exercise and balance beam and won bronze on the vault. Kocian won gold on the uneven bars in a four way tie.[3] Thus making Biles the reigning world champion in all-around, floor, and balance beam and Kocian the reigning world co-champion on the uneven bars going into the Olympics. Additionally Biles was the reigning national champion as well.

Aly Raisman, the captain of the Fierce Five, was once again selected as team captain.[4]

Biles was chosen by Team USA to be the flag bearer for the closing ceremonies. She was the first American female gymnast to be given the honor.[5]

The Women's Gymnastics Olympic Trials took place on Friday, July 8 and Sunday, July 10, 2016 at the SAP Center in San Jose, California.[6]

At the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, Biles, Hernandez, and Raisman finished first, second, and third respectively in the all-around competition. Biles finished first on vault and floor exercise, Kocian finished first on the uneven bars, Hernandez finished first on the balance beam.[7] MyKayla Skinner, Ragan Smith, and Ashton Locklear were selected as the three alternates.[8] Full Olympic Trial scores are as follows:[9]

The name Final Five was chosen by the team members. At the 2012 London Games, the team had adopted the nickname "Fierce Five" in response to the media-bestowed nickname "Fab Five". The 2016 nickname was not announced until the team had secured victory in the team event. The name has two meanings: one being that this is the last Olympics where gymnastics teams will be made up of five members (starting in 2020 teams will consist of only four) and the other being that it was the final gymnastics team to be formed under Marta Karolyi as national team coordinator of USA Gymnastics.[10]

Laurie Hernandez competed on and won season 23 of Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with Valentin Chmerkovskiy.[13]

Simone Biles competed on season 24 of Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with Sasha Farber. They finished fourth.[14]

Madison Kocian went on to compete at the collegiate level for the UCLA Bruins.[15] She, along with Fierce Five member Kyla Ross, made history by becoming the first Olympic gold medalists to compete in NCAA gymnastics[16] in a team managed and then later assistant coached by another Fierce Five member, Jordyn Wieber.

After the Olympics, it came to light that all five of the Final Five, plus at least one of the three alternates, had been abused sexually, verbally and/or emotionally while training in gymnastics.[17] The prevalence of abuse in gymnastics was widely discussed in the media after the USA Gymnastics abuse scandal became public.

• Magnificent Seven, the U.S. 1996 Summer Olympics women's artistic gymnastics team
• Fierce Five, the U.S. 2012 Summer Olympics women's artistic gymnastics team