In 1996, a group of seven women stood at the top of a podium in Atlanta, Ga., with gold medals hanging from their necks, possibly the most sought after accessories in the world.

It was the first taste of Olympic glory in the gymnastics team finals for the United States, where seven women soared with individual talent and skill. Watch any feel-good Olympic montage and their famous ‘90s windbreakers in the midst of camera flashes and screaming spectators have a guaranteed spot. It’s a moment few forget.

Sixteen years later, lightning struck again. However, this time, it was with a youthful exuberance few are able to match on an Olympic stage. Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross and Jordyn Wieber united together and collectively scored an unheard of 183.596, five points ahead of Russia.

The arena became their runway, where they showed the world what a little eye shadow and style in athletic action could do. They reaffirmed their status as The Fab Five, leading them to gold in a fierce and scrunchie-less fashion.

At the start of the qualification round, women from every corner of the Earth tumbled in, giving glimpses of global style.Aliya Mustafina of Russia flipped as her harsh winged-out smoky eye emphasized her diva reputation. Larissa Miller, of Australia, literally shined throughout her floor routine with a head full of sparkling silver hair clips as she leaped in and out.

The American team that stole the spotlight, making it to the team final along with powerhouses China and Russia. It marched out quietly, gleaming in red v-neck leotards doused in glitter.

As Wieber sprung into a powerful vault at the start of the competition, any remaining doubts faded. Her black-rimmed brown eyes glazed with determination as they popped against her signature eye shadow combination: a simple mauve smoked out by a rustic rose. As she stuck her landing, the American team’s meteoric rise to the top of the scoreboard began.

The night continued with even bigger reaffirmations of enormous ability and fun individual style. McKayla Maroneycompleted her vault last and with good reason, too. Her bronzed cheeks and purple-toned lids were reinforced by a pink-colored smile as she calmly delivered her only performance of the night: a near-flawless high-flying Amanar, one of the most difficult vaults in women’s gymnastics. On screen, a judge’s jaw dropped and commentator Tim Daggetthowled for a perfect score.

Gabby Douglas, dubbed “The Flying Squirrel,” continued with metallic green eye shadow as she conquered intricate combinations in her uneven bars routine. As she landed, her bright pink cheeks burst into her famous smile, striking fear into the blunt bangs of the uneven bars dominators Romania and Russia.

Kyla Ross, the youngest member of the team at 15, dominated her balance beam routine with exquisite precision reminiscent of Nastia Liukin’s ballerina-like style. Bare-faced, she kept things natural with a tucked-in pony at the top of her head, a sweet touch that seemed to extend her stick-straight lines and form as she stuck her landing. Her perfectly placed pony pranced as she skipped her way back to her coach.

As the night came to a close and the gold became a guaranteed win, Aly Raisman was the last to go on floor. The all-around qualifier, who leaped boldly as if she were an Alicia Sacramone look-alike, burst into tears in the middle of her last tumbling pass, her long, curled eyelashes flickering with emotion, her pink pout quivering in the spotlight of the arena.

As the team huddled together to see its final score, it became evident that their natural ability and united efforts led them to victory. In the end, their flashy individual styles accentuated the confidence in every move and the ability to snatch the overdone scrunchie off of every competitor in the arena. Maroney’s flirtatious smirk, Douglas’s beaming smile,Wieber’s defiant gaze, Raisman’s modest tears and Ross’s exuberant laugh all gleamed like gold.

Daisy Becerra is a junior magazine journalism major. Her column appears online occasionally. She can be reached at dsbecerr@syr.edu.

Published on August 8, 2012 at 12:24 pm