The Greene County Democrat

Category: Sports

  • Jim Brown and Ray Lewis, former NFL players meet with President-elect Trump

     

    By Des Bieler , Washington Post

    Jim Brown and Ray Lewis.jpgJim Brown and Ray Lewis speak with reporters at Trump Tower. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

    Trump Tower was the scene of NFL royalty Tuesday, as Ray Lewis and Jim Brown met with the president-elect at his New York transition offices. After the meeting, Lewis spoke of addressing urgent economic conditions, saying, “Black or white is irrelevant.”
    Trump, who has been criticized for racially insensitive comments and policy positions, also met Tuesday with pop star Kanye West and former “Apprentice” contestant Omarosa Manigault. “I feel it is important to have a direct line of communication with our future president if we truly want change,” West subsequently tweeted.
    “Urban development and job creation are everything,” Lewis, a former star linebacker for the Ravens, told reporters after his meeting. “What we believe with the Trump administration is if we can combine these two powers of coming together — forget black or white. Black or white is irrelevant. The bottom line is job creation and economic development in these urban areas to change the whole scheme of what our kids see.”
    “I fell in love with him because he really talks about helping African American, black people and that’s why I’m here,” Brown said on CNN after his meeting. At Trump Tower, he told reporters that he hadn’t voted for Trump, but that “we couldn’t have had a better meeting.”
    “The graciousness, the intelligence, the reception we got was fantastic,” Brown said. Brown, a Hall of Famer widely regarded as the greatest running back in NFL history, said he talked to Trump about, among other things, his Amer-I-Can Program, which helps teach life skills to people struggling with poverty.
    Lewis said that, because of the program, “we have 30,000 to 40,000 former gang members who’ve changed their lives.” He also said (via the Baltimore Sun) that he thought Ben Carson was a good pick to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

  • How Did African Americans Fare In The Obama Era?

    Many say the first Black president didn’t do enough to improve the lives of African Americans.

    Written By Nigel Roberts

    president-obama-copy-3

     President Barack Obama
    Many African-Americans have expressed disappointment in President Barack Obama, even those who voted whole-heartedly for him twice.
    In an October interview, Sean “Diddy” Combs, in an interview on Politics Nation with Al Sharpton, said the Black community “got a little bit shortchanged.”
    He explained it this way: “I feel like we put President Obama in the White House, and when I look back I just wanted more done for my people. Because, that’s the name of the game, this is politics.”
    Here are a few gauges in evaluating how African-Americans fared under the Obama presidency.
    Sense of well-being
    First, are African-Americans really disappointed in the performance of the first Black president? Gallup and Healthways asked Americans to rate their current and future lives throughout his presidency. Researchers found that Americans of all races who say they are thriving have increased. African-Americans’ life evaluations improved nearly 13 points from 2008 to 2010. However, it declined during Obama’s second term, now registering below other races.
    “These results dovetail with Blacks’ collective sentiment that Obama has not done enough to improve Black Americans’ standard of living,” the researchers concluded.

    •Income/Wealth
    Wages remained stagnant for nearly all Americans during the economic recovery. CNN Money reported that income dropped to $33,926 in the period of 2009 to 2011, but then rebounded to $35,398 by 2014. African-Americans were hit particularly hard during the Great Recession, with many falling into poverty. By 2011, the poverty rate within the Black community reached 27.6 percent, which was almost 2 percent higher than when Obama took office. In recent years, it has fallen to 26.2 percent.
    Meanwhile, the wealth gap grew between Black and White Americans during the Obama presidency. The Pew Research Center, based on an analysis of Federal Reserve data, found that family wealth was eight times higher for Whites than Blacks in 2010 and ballooned to 13 times greater in 2013.

    Education
    The academic achievement gap between Black and White students remains stubbornly high. In fact, for many decades Black students have lagged significantly behind their White counterparts on just about all academic measures. However, in October the White House announced that the high school graduation rate reached a record level for all students in the 2014-2015 school year. African-American students made strides toward on-time graduation, increasing by 8 percent since the 2010-2011 school year.

    Unemployment
    The high unemployment rate among Black youths was shuffled around like a political tennis ball, some would say exploited, during the 2016 campaign season. However, CNN Money reported that the unemployment rate in two categories—teens and those 16 to 24—declined more than half during the Obama administration.
    For Black teens, the unemployment rate reached a high of 48.9 percent in Sept. 2010. For job seekers 16 to 24, the unemployment rate spiked to 32.5 percent in Jan. 2010. While still high, the jobless rates dropped this year to 23.3 percent and 14.5 percent, respectively.

    Healthcare
    Access to health care improved significantly for African-Americans, thanks of course to President Obama’s signature policy, the Affordable Care Act. According to White House.gov, since open enrollment in 2013, more than 3 million uninsured African-Americans obtained coverage, reducing the percentage of Blacks who lack health care by more than half during the Obama presidency.

  • ‘Loving’ star Ruth Negga on why interracial couples aren’t a statement “They just wanted to be in love.”

     

    Zeba BlayVoices Culture Writer, The Huffington Post

     

    The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that a Virginia law banning marriage between African Americans and Caucasians was unconstitutional, thus nullifying similar statues in 15 other states. The decision came in a case involving Richard Perry Loving, a white construction worker and his African American wife, Mildred. The couple married in the District of Columbia in 1958 and were arrested upon their return to their native Caroline County, Virginia. They were given one year suspended sentences on condition that they stay out of the state for 25 years. The Lovings decided in 1963 to return home and fight banishment, with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union.
    This image released by Focus Features shows Ruth Negga, right, and Joel Edgerton in a scene from, “Loving.” (Focus Features via AP)

    Joel Edgertgon and Ruth Negga as Richard and Mildred Loving in “Loving.”

     

    She isn’t flashy or overemotional, but rather ignites the screen with a quiet gravitas. She plays the soft-spoken Mildred Loving, a Black and Native American woman who took on the state of Virginia in 1967 for the right to stay married to her husband Richard Loving, who was white. The couple had been sentenced to a year in prison for violating Virginia’s Racial Integrity Act of 1924. At the time of the case, a total of 16 states had similar laws, known as “anti-miscegenation” laws.

    Because of the Lovings and their landmark case, Loving vs. Virginia, the laws banning interracial marriage across the South were struck down, deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. And yet, despite a 1996 TV movie and a stellar 2011 documentary by Nancy Buirski, the Lovings and their story are still widely unknown.  The real Mildred and Richard Loving, after the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that a Virginia law banning marriage between African Americans and Caucasians was unconstitutional.

    That’s all about to change with “Loving,” written and directed by Jeff Nichols and starring Negga opposite Joel Edgerton as Richard Loving. The film has been building up steady buzz since it premiered at Cannes in May, and various outlets have described it as “Oscar bait.” But it is so much more than that.

    At its heart is Ruth Negga, an Ethiopian-Irish actress known for small roles in films like “World War Z” and “The Samaritan” and a current role on AMCs “Preacher.” Negga is poised for superstardom and accolades thanks to her performance in the film, out Friday, but the 35-year-old actress is far more concerned with making sure the Lovings’ legacy is recognized.

    In a conversation with Negga earlier this week, the actress expounded upon the power of the Loving story, the absurdity of racism, and making space for other actresses of color:

    It’s wild that the Lovings made such an impact on so many lives with their case, and yet very few people are aware of their story. Did you know about the Lovings prior to joining this film?

    I knew about the Supreme Court case, but I didn’t know about the couple behind it until I came upon Mildred’s obituary [a few years ago], which I found deeply emotional. When I auditioned for Jeff he gave me the documentary by Nancy Buirski, and I watched it and I just fell in love with this couple.

    I’ve known about the history [of anti-miscegenation laws], but it’s still quite shocking to watch old footage and hear people give reasons for that racism as if they’re being totally logical. It made me so angry. None of it made sense. None of it. I remember thinking, what’s so terrifying about us? That these laws were made? I thought, “This is a story that really needs to be told.”

    Were you at all daunted by the idea of playing someone like Mildred Loving? Someone so important, but so little known? Did you feel an added responsibility to “get it right?”

    I was daunted, but I wasn’t daunted to the point where I didn’t want to do it. I think I was really propelled by my own need to see people like that on a screen. My own need to see a story like this being told. My own personal need to see people like me on the screen. That became stronger than my fear, which I’m glad about. I felt like I was the right age, had the right spirit. I felt a confidence that I hadn’t felt before. And it wasn’t that I had this huge super ego about it. It was that I felt this was the right story at the right time and I knew I would work hard. I knew I’d have the graft to do her justice.

    What’s so powerful about this story is how ordinary the Lovings were, despite the huge impact that they made. But there’s this idea that interracial relationships are somehow always about making some sort of statement, or that just by virtue of being in an interracial relationship a couple has “solved” racism. What do you think of that? 

    We deify most leaders of any movement because they’re super charismatic and they have this sort of glow, they’re really good orators. This couple wasn’t. And yet they were equally as charismatic and compelling, in a very quiet way. They weren’t making a statement, they just wanted to be in love.

    I think it’s kind of uncomfortable that anyone would accuse a relationship of being a maneuver. I find it very difficult that we still ask people in these relationships to explain themselves, constantly.

    This couple wasn’t giving an “F U” to the establishment. This wasn’t an act of defiance. It was about, “I want to raise my family where I want to. I want to legitimize the rights of my children.” But I do think that the deeper involved they got in this movement, Mildred realized the deep unfairness of this, and that it wasn’t just going to effect her it was going to effect other couples. She felt that that was a good thing if that was the fall out of their struggle. It’s such a complex situation.

    The Lovings have both passed, but they have one surviving daughter: Peggy Loving Fortune. Were you able to connect with her at all? 

    Yeah she was on set with us quite often. We had talks. It’s private. I don’t really want to share our chats because she’s quite a private woman as well. Maybe I should have asked her more questions, maybe I could have asked her more questions, but I don’t really like asking questions that are unnecessary for the sake of asking questions. It’s showing that you’re being a good student rather than doing the work. The thing with Peggy is that, of course we wanted her a approval. But I think we would have known if she was not happy. I do believe that. Because she’s not a pushover. This is her family. And I think that she wanted to be a true legacy.

     

  • President Obama Talks about the Future of HBCUs, at North Carolina A&T

    By Freddie Allen (NNPA Newswire Managing Editor)

    barackobama_fallen_hires_0155.jpg

    President Obama

      During a recent town hall discussion at North Carolina A & T University in Greensboro, President Barack Obama said that historically Black colleges that are producing engineers, doctors and dentists serve as the foundation stone for building Black middle class wealth and success, and are also important to the entire nation.

    President Obama answered audience questions about the future of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), his signature My Brother’s Keeper initiative and social activism at the event hosted by “The Undefeated,” an ESPN website dedicated to the exploration of sports, race and culture.

    As the nation grows more diverse and educational opportunities that were once off-limits to Blacks are now more available, some have questioned the relevancy of HBCUs.    In 2011, the Obama Administration received sharp criticism after changes in the Federal Direct PLUS loan program, disproportionately affected Black students attending HBCUs, forcing many to either delay their dreams of earning a college degree or abandon them altogether. Three years later, the Department of Education issued updated guidelines that were praised by higher education advocates and included less restrictive credit requirements for the loan program.

    Obama said that the challenge with the Parent PLUS program was that some of the loans offered were “particularly expensive” and left too many students deeply in debt without graduating. “The notion was to try to improve the way in which young people were financing their educations,” said Obama. “Part of the challenge here is to make sure, not just that [students] enroll in college, but that [they] graduate from college.”  Obama said that HBCUs receive $4 billion a year from the federal government and noted that Pell grant funding to HBCUs increased by 150 percent, while he’s been in office. The president also expressed concerns over state-level budget cuts to higher education that have had a significant impact on the financial stability of HBCUs.

    “Unless state legislatures pick up some of this slack, there’s only so much the federal government is going to be able to do to fill the void through loans, because ultimately loans mean debt and it adds up and people can get into trouble,” said Obama. “If you’re really concerned about more resources for HBCUs then you better vote. If you don’t vote, you won’t have any say in the decisions that are made in state capitals or in Congress about the support that you receive.”

    Obama also talked about the future of the My Brother’s Keeper initiative (MBK), a program that was launched to address the unique challenges facing young men and boys of color.

    Obama said that the central principle of (MBK) is to have some adult who is taking interest in the young men, “to have somebody that is showing them here’s an alternative here’s a pathway here’s an opportunity that you can seize and you are worth something and you are important and you are a leader.”   Obama added: “It doesn’t take a lot to transform the lives of young men.” MBK has partnered with organizations like the National Basketball Association and major corporations like Sprint have committed to make sure that one million young people have broadband Internet access to start closing that digital gap. Obama said that 250 communities and cities have launched local MBK programs.

    “Some cities are doing better than others, some corporate citizens are investing more than others and we want everybody to get involved,” said Obama.

    When asked about what it takes to manage the challenges of raising a family and a successful career, Obama admitted that balancing professional achievement and family is something that he and the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama have had to wrestle with.

    Managing those responsibilities is particularly burdensome on the mom, said Obama.

    “There’s no doubt that Michelle carried a greater burden than I did, particularly, because the nature of my work required a lot of travel,” said Obama, adding that soon-to-be dads must understand the level of commitment required to balance work and family responsibilities successfully. He said that it was important to understand, that if you’re going to have a real partnership, you have to give and not just take and you have to be there and present at home.

    “On my deathbed I will not remember any bills I passed, I will not remember any speeches I gave, I will not remember getting the Nobel Prize,” said Obama. “What I will remember is holding hands with my daughters and taking them down to a park. That’s one thing I know, that on my deathbed, that is what I will remember and if you approach life with that attitude then you’re going to appropriately invest in what is most important.”

     

  • President Obama defends Colin Kaepernick’s right not to stand for National Anthem at NFL games

    By: Roland Martin NewsOne

     

    colin-kaepernick-takes-a-knee
    SAN DIEGO, CA – SEPTEMBER 1: Eric Reid #35 and Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers kneel on the sideline during the anthem, as free agent Nate Boyer stands, prior to the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on September 1, 2016 in San Diego, California. The 49ers defeated the Chargers 31-21. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)

    Colin Kaepernick joined by teammate Eric Reed take a knee during playing of National Anthem before NFL pre-season game

    President Barack Obama has weighed in on the Colin Kaepernick National Anthem protest controversy and backed the NFL quarterback’s right to protest as being covered under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

    San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, is vowing to sit during the national anthem in protest over police killings of African-Americans. Is he being anti-American by expressing his right to protest which is covered under the First Amendment of the Constitution?

    Despite the endorsement, Kaepernick’s detractors continue to harbor animosity against him.

    During Monday’s edition of NewsOne Now, Roland Martin and his panel of guests discussed the ongoing Kaepernick saga and the protest action that seems to be slowly picking up momentum amongst other pro-athletes after U.S. Women’s Soccer star Megan Rapinoe, who is a lesbian, also took a knee during the National Anthem before a recent soccer match.

    To add to the support, Kaepernick’s football jersey is the top-selling jersey on the NFL’s www.nflshop.com website.

    Martin said Kaepernick’s protest is resonating with many Americans because “he is making a point that is critically important and he’s not some guy who is clueless” on the issues of racism and police brutality.

    Michelle Bernard, President and CEO of the Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy, said she was disgusted by many of the comments posted on social media by those who do not agree with Kaepernick’s chosen method of protest.             She explained there is a contingent of Americans who have expressed outrage by saying, “How dare you? You make so much money in the NFL, this is not a problem, you shouldn’t be speaking out on this. Take your money, be happy, and this is so unpatriotic.”

    Bernard then refuted those claims: “We live in a country where you are able to speak your mind and if you’re White … not get shot because you’ve done it.”

    Ralph Chittams, Senior Vice Chairman of the Washington, D.C. Republican Party, said Kaepernick is “well within his Constitutional rights. “He has the right to stand, sit, kneel [or] not even come out of the locker room for the National Anthem,” Chittams said. “We’ve gotten to a point in this country where we don’t value dissenting opinions; we demand agreement and uniformity.”

    Bernard added: “The nation pretends that Black men don’t have minds of their own, that they can’t speak and that if you speak on an issue that is important to you, it means that you’re not patriotic and you don’t like the country.”

    Martin reminded viewers Kaepernick is “ticking folks off” because “America never wants to discuss the why of the protest; they only want to discuss the protest.”

    Before delving into the controversy surrounding the football star, Dr. Jason Johnson gave the NewsOne Now audience a little historical context about the Star-Spangled Banner that many may not know.

    In The Root, Dr. Johnson said: The Star-Spangled Banner, written by Francis Scott Key, because he was bitter about the fact that he had lost to a group of Black soldiers and then those same Black soldiers were coming in and trashing Baltimore on behalf of the British.”

    Johnson continued, “The British had offered runaway slaves — if you come and fight for us against the country that enslaved and oppressed you, we will give you your freedom.”

    The whole song, in essence, according to Johnson, “is basically a diss track about a bitter, rich, pro-slavery White man saying ‘I don’t like that Black people are coming for freedom.’”

  • Annual festival celebrates 41 years

    The annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival celebrated its 41st anniversary on the old courthouse square in Eutaw, AL on Saturday and Sunday, August 27-28. The festival, produced by the Society of Folk Arts & Culture, brings together bearers of the culture, lifting the folk traditions of quilting, basketweaving, jewelry and doll making and sundry other home decorative items. The foodways, including soul food dinners, barbecue, Polish sausage, fish, pork skins, cakes, pies, funnel cakes, shaved ice and more tasty eats, represent local delicacies. The festival goers are planted in their seats under the great tent enjoying the ole timey blues on Saturday and ole timey gospel on Sunday. Many groups schedule family and class reunions as well as vacations in the area to coincide with the annual festival activities. The photos above show Ms. Mattie Dunning with her homemade quilts and Burley and Liz Daniel with the Son of Zion Gospel group. S

  • Ethopian Marathon Silver Medalist fears death at home as representative of Oromo people

                                                          Feyisa Lilesa

    Aug. 22, 2016 (GIN) – Using every fiber of his being, track star Feyisa Lilesa of Ethiopia made a dash across the finish line at the just-ended Olympic Games in Rio but it wasn’t to be the end of his run.

    Lilesa used his high profile silver medal victory to make a sign of solidarity with the Oromo people who are locked in a decades-long struggle with the government of Ethiopia. In a photograph seen worldwide, 26-year-old Lilesa stands with his arms crossed over his head – a gesture of defiance used by Oromos in recent months.

    The gesture recalled an earlier protest by Olympic athletes John Carlos and Tommie Smith who gave the Black Power salute on the medal podium after winning gold and bronze in the 200 meter sprint in the 1968 games.

    Political statements are banned during the games, but Lilesa showed no fear of being sanctioned. “This was my feeling,” Lilesa said simply. “I have a big problem in my country. It is very dangerous to protest. The Ethiopian government is killing the Oromo people and taking their land and resources so the Oromo people are protesting and I support the protest as I am Oromo,” he said in an interview with USA Today.

    Oromos, the largest of Ethiopia’s 80 ethnic groups making up at least a third of Ethiopia’s 100 million population, were once a sovereign people but lost ownership of their land and become both impoverished and aliens in their own country. In 1975, all rural land was declared State-owned, leaving the Oromos in a “colonized” status.

    Last November, after the confiscation of a children’s playground and the selling off of an Oromo forest, a wave of mass protests began. Other issues – the expansion of the municipal boundary of the capital, Addis Ababa, into Oromia, land grabbing and the eviction of farmers, and the brutal repression of protestors – fed the fire, according to Human Rights Watch and other independent monitors.

    “If I go back to Ethiopia maybe they will kill me or put me in prison,” Lilesa said.

    A government spokesman denied any threat to Lilesa or his family. Yet state-owned TV station EBC Channel 3 blacked out the clips of Lilesa, focusing instead on the Kenyan winner Eliud Kipchoge.

    Meanwhile, a crowd-funding page was set up, saying the runner had become an “international symbol” for the Oromo protests. Initial pledges of $10,000 doubled within an hour.

    A legal team hired by U.S.-based Ethiopians is helping Mr Feyisa, who has a wife and two children in Ethiopia, with a request to seek asylum in the US.

     

  • Simone Biles is first woman U.S. gymnast to carry American flag in closing Olympic ceremony

     By Charise Frazier, Newsone

    Team USA selected the Rio Olympics’ “it-girl” Simone Biles to carry the flag into Maracanã Stadium during Sunday night’s closing ceremony.

    Biles is the first woman U.S. gymnast to carry the flag. She’s the second American gymnast to carry the flag in an opening or closing ceremony after Alfred Jochim marched with the American flag during opening ceremonies at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, according to The Huffington Post.

    Mary Carillo, a former Olympian and NBC commentator, called her “the most stunning athlete I’ve ever seen” as the U.S flag towered above Biles’ 4′ 9″ frame.

    Biles leaves Rio with tremendous accomplishments; she’s won a total of five medals – four gold and one bronze. She’s the first U.S. gymnast to win four gold medals in a single Olympics.

    “It’s an incredible honor to be selected as the flag bearer by my Team USA teammates,”Biles said in an interview with TeamUSA.org. “This experience has been the dream of a lifetime for me and my team and I consider it a privilege to represent my country, the United States Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics by carrying our flag. I also wish to thank the city of Rio de Janeiro, and the entire country of Brazil, for hosting an incredible Games.”

    Biles was a fan favorite on the floor as multiple athletes stopped the gymnast for photos and selfies during the closing ceremony.

     

  • Simone Manuel’s Olympic win is huge considering swimming’s racist past

    Zeba BlayVoices Culture Writer, The Huffington Post

    2016 Rio Olympics – Swimming – Final – Women’s 100m Freestyle Final – Olympic Aquatics Stadium – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 11/08/2016. Simone Manuel (USA) of USA reacts after winning the gold and setting a new Olympic record. REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.
    Protesters demonstrating in the swimming pool of the Monson Motor Lodge in Saint Augustine, Florida scream as motel manager James Brock dumps “muriatic acid” into the water.

    L TO R: Simone Manuel’s  and a Protesters in 1964 demonstrating in the swimming pool of the Monson Motor Lodge in Saint Augustine, Florida, scream as motel manager James Brock dumps “muriatic acid” into the water. (Bettman via Getty Images)

    There are levels to Simone Manuel’s epic Olympic win on Thursday. The 20-year-old has become the first black woman to win a gold medal in an individual swimming competition in the history of the Olympics. Tying for the gold medal with Canadian swimmer Penny Oleksiak, Manuel also set an Olympic record with a time of 52.70.

    What the Texas native has managed to accomplish during her time in Rio is most definitely historic ― but it’s also weighted with meaning that extends far beyond the Olympics.

    There is an infamous photo from 1964, of a motel manager named James Brock pouring acid into the swimming pool of his Saint Augustine, Florida, motel. Below him, black and white protestors attempting to integrate the segregated pool scream in shock and fear.

    The photo is a visceral reminder of the everyday realities of segregation in the United States. Black people weren’t even allowed the dignity of cooling off in a pool or at the beach without being segregated and denied access.

    According to The Guardian, during the 1920s and ‘30s thousands of luxurious public pools were opened all over America. All of them were segregated. When desegregation began in the ‘50s and ‘60s, government officials withdrew funding for desegregated pools. White pool-goers ultimately fled for the perceived comfort and “safety” of private, segregated pools and the rundown public pools left over for black people were gradually closed down.

    Today, there’s a stereotype that many people, including some black people, subscribe to: “Black people can’t swim.” Of course, that isn’t completely true. Many black people, throughout the diaspora, know how to swim.

  • Unstoppable, Unbeatable, & Unparalleled: Simone Biles wins 4th Gold Medal in Rio

    She’s the first American woman to win four gold medals in gymnastics at a single Olympic games.

    Written By Charise Frazier

    Simone Biles, gymnast

    Simone Biles, U. S. Olympic gymnast

    Simone Biles is killing the game and the Rio Olympics, securing her fourth gold medal in the all-around individual floor competition on Tuesday afternoon and capping an end to a glorious Olympic debut. She’s the first American woman to win four gymnastic gold medals in a single Olympics.

    Biles pulled out all the stops, including her signature move, which consists of a double layout with a half-twist that she seals with a blind landing. To top it off, she ended the move with a magnificent stag leap.

    She scored a whopping 15.966 for her performance, beating her best score at least week’s qualifiers. Biles will take home a total of five medals, including four gold and one bronze, and a third consecutive world title. According to The New York Times, Biles is the fourth American female gymnast to win five medals in a single Olympics, joining Mary Lou Retton, Shannon Miller, and Nastia Liukin.

    Reigning floor champ and Biles’ teammate, Aly Raisman, locked in the silver medal with a score of 15.500. Raisman isn’t doing too shabby either; this medal marks her sixth career win, in total she’s won three medals in Rio.