The Final Five, the name that the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team chose for itself, is stunning the crowds in Rio. The team, made up of Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Simone Biles, Laurie Hernandez and Madison Kocian, dominated the team competition this past Tuesday afternoon and earned their spot at the top of the podium.
Biles and Raisman continued to show the world what they are capable of as the two earned gold and silver medals, respectively, in the all-around competition just yesterday, Aug. 11. The sparkling complement to this new hardware? The ladies’ bedazzled leotards, of course!
GK Elite Sportswear, a Muhlenberg Township based company, decked out the women’s (and the men’s) teams for the Olympic Games once again. For more than 10 years, this local business has been outfitting some of the country’s biggest stars as they compete on one of the world’s largest stages.
Kelly McGowen, executive vice president for design and corporate relations at GK Elite, was quoted in an NBC article explaining that “Martha [Karolyi],” the longtime coach of Team USA, “always wants more sparkle, more sparkle,” and sparkle is what she got. With nearly 5,000 crystals adorning each leotard, these over-the-top outfits would retail around the $1,200 mark. If beaming smiles are any indication, the girls seem to love their locally designed leotards.
As a special treat, GK Elite Sportswear has just released Under Armour National Team Replicas for enthusiasts looking to bring a little bit of the 2016 Olympics into their own home. With four fabulous options to choose from, it’s easy to show patriotic pride in the gym, just like Team USA.
It’s been an amazing journey for the Final Five so far, one we, as spectators, thoroughly enjoy watching. That being said, the ladies aren’t done yet! Tune in now through Tuesday, Aug. 16 to follow the women in the individual event finals.
We here at Berks County Living are very proud that a little bit of our home has made it all the way to Rio de Janeiro. We wish the Final Five the best of luck as they wrap up competition in the coming days. Keep shining, Team USA!
