U.S. Women’s Gymnastic Team wins gold

The U.S. Women's Olympic Gymnastics team has won an Olympic gold medal for the first time in 16 years.

It was a magical moment today for "the Fab Five" and the second gold medal ever for a U.S. Women's Gymnastics team. The American women beat out the Russian, Romanian and Chinese teams for the top spot.

Tonight NBC-TV news anchor Brian Ross called the five women gymnasts “America’s new sweethearts.” The U.S. women gymnasts are also being dubbed the “greatest U.S. Women’s Olympic Team ever.”

View slideshow: 2012 U.S. Women's Olympic Gymnastics Team goes for the gold

As seen tonight in prime time tape delay broadcast on NBC-TV, at the start of the women's gymnastics team competition, the five young American women entered the staging area dressed in bright red costumes sprinkled with silver sequins, looking full of youthful energy and enthusiasm.

Jordyn Weiber performs well in team competition

Jordyn Weiber, the American gymnast who endured the disappointment of failing to qualify for the women’s all around on Sunday, was the first to perform on the vault. Weiber looked tough and confident with no trace of Sunday’s disappointment, finishing with a score of 15.933.

The U.S. women appeared calm and composed as they huddled together between rounds. Team Captain Aly Raisman of Needham, Mass. whispered words of encouragement to her teammates as they prepared to compete.

Members of the The U.S. Women's Team comes from across the U.S.

The team includes:

Gabby Douglas of Virginia Beach, Va.
McKayla Maroney of Long Beach, Calif.
Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif.
Jordyn Wieber of DeWitt, Mich.
Aly Raisman of Needham, Mass.

"We are certainly enjoying this moment. This is the result of the teamwork and what we did through the years. All the hard work paid off in the end,” said Women’s National Team Coordinator Martha Karolyi, as quoted on the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics website

The U.S. Women’s Olympic Gymnastic team won its first ever team gold back in 1996. Back then, the team was called "The Magnificent Seven."Today’s gold-medal finish is the sixth consecutive team medal for the U.S. women.

Great day for U.S. Women's Gymnastics at London 2012 Olympics

Today, the USA had the highest team score on vault (48.132), balance beam (45.299) and floor exercise (45.366). The American team placed third on uneven bars (44.799) behind China (46.399) and Russia (46.166).

"We were all spot on.We stuck three 2.5 (Amanar vaults) and it’s contagious. I'm so proud of these girls. We did awesome. A lot of hard work and sacrifice in the gym, and it all pays off,” said Gabby Douglas of the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team about the team’s performance on the vault.

Jordyn Weiber, who narrowly missed qualifying for the women’s all around gymnastic event was quoted on the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics website as saying "This couldn't be possible without everyone stepping up today. Everyone did their job and was completely amazing. I am so excited."

Team USA started off strong on vault. Wieber, Douglas and Maroney all competed a Yurchenko two-and-a-half, also known as an Amanar.

Wieber scored a 15.933, Douglas scored a 15.966 and Maroney stuck her vault and received the highest U.S. vault score with a 16.233. The USA scored 48.132 on vault and was 1.733 points ahead of China, who started on bars. Russia, who started on vault, was third.

Wieber led off again for the USA on uneven bars, scoring a 14.666 for a "solid routine complete with a full twisting double layout dismount," according the the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics website.

Ross "showed precise lines, high release moves and stuck her double layout dismount to earn a 14.933," according to the website report.

Douglas, affectionately nicknamed "The Flying Squirrel" anchored the team for the U.S. and scored "an impressive 15.200 for her sky-high release moves and double layout dismount. USA continued the lead with a 92.931 to Russia's 92.532," according to the website report.

On beam, Ross performed well for the U.S. team, scoring a 15.133. Ross competed a front aerial to flip flop, layout stepout and dismounted with a double tuck.

Douglas' routine, complete with her standing full and flip flop series to double pike, scored a 15.233.

Raisman's routine included a solid flip flop layout series and she dismounted with her double Arabian dismount to score a 14.933.

The USA team score after three events 138.230 to Russia's 136.931.

Douglas dazzled in the floor exercise with " impressive tumbling and dance" for a score of 15.066. She mounted with "a one-and-a-half to triple full and dismounted with a double tuck to jump," according to reports.

Wieber hit "the routine of her life complete with a double twisting double back and a one-and-a-half to triple full to score a 15.000," according to the website report.

Raisman, who medaled on floor at the 2011 World Championships, showed "impressive tumbling" complete with a one-and-a-half to double Arabian and "second pass of a pike double Arabian to jump to clinch the medal for the U.S. with her score of 15.300."

Raisman and Douglas will compete in the all-around finals August 2. Individual and event finals are August 5 through 7.

Team USA individual event finalists are: