U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team Wins Gold (VIDEO)

McKayla Maroney, Aly Rasiman, Kyla Ross, Gabrielle Douglas and Jordyn Wieber took the podium at the 2012 London Olympics Tuesday night to receive their gold medals in the team artistic gymnastics competition after trouncing the Russian runners-up, with Romania coming in third place. It’s the first time the United States has won the team event since 1996.

For Wieber, who left the London Olympic gymnastics arena in tears just three days earlier after missing out on a spot in the all-around final, the victory was particularly sweet. Wieber was the favorite to win the Olympic all-around gold to go with the world title she took last October.

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The men’s artistic gymnastic-individual all-around final was held Wednesday; American Danell Leyva won the bronze medal, while teammate John Orozco finished eighth after a faulty pommel horse routine. Meanwhile, another American gymnast is hoping to soon make her mark at the London Olympics.

Rhythmic gymnast Julie Zetlin is hoping to raise awareness for her sport as she remains the only U.S. rhythmic gymnast to compete at the 2012 London Olympics. Qualifications for this competition begin Aug. 9. Watch Zetlin talk about what winning a gold medal in London would mean and her favorite part of the sport:

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In February, the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) granted Zetlin a wild-card berth so she could head to London and compete. She will be the lone U.S. athlete representative in a sport largely dominated by the Europeans. So, what would a gold medal mean to her?

“I don’t think I could describe the feeling if I won a gold medal,” she says. “I think that’s every athlete’s dream.”

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Tags: 2012 Olympics, 2012 Summer Games, Alexandra Raisman, Aly Rasiman, American gymnastics, artistic gymnastics results, Danell Leyva, featured, Gabrielle Douglas, gymnastics, John Orozco, Jordyn Wieber, julie zetlin, Kyla Ross, London, London 2012, McKayla Maroney, Men's gymnastics final, Olympic gymnastics results, Olympics gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, Sports, the 2012 London Olympics, the London Olympics, women's gymnastics results

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