A decade ago, the world watched as the five members of the US women’s gymnastics team, who were Simone Biles, Laurie Hernandez, Aly Raisman, Madison Kocian, and Gabby Douglas, stood atop the podium in Rio de Janeiro, their gold medals shining under the Olympic lights. This “Final Five” squad didn’t just win; they dominated. On every apparatus, they secured the highest score, which led to the United States’ second consecutive team gold.

Fast forward to 2026, a decade later, they had their virtual reunion, which was shared by Simone Biles on her Instagram story. The gymnast shared screenshots of a lively FaceTime call, captioning it “FINAL FIVE FACETIME @lauriehernandez @alyraisman @madison_kocian,” tagging Hernandez, Raisman, and Kocian. However, since one of their members, Douglas, was missing, Biles wrote: “Missing you @gabbycvdouglas.”

Early in their career, many fans’ speculations led to a public perception of Biles and Douglas being rivals. However, their bond was very different from what everyone thought of. “We’re friends, in and out of the gym. Everyone makes it [out] to be some big rivalry, but we’re just friends! We always want the best for each other, and whenever we have a team competition, we’re just excited that we get to share that memory together,” Biles once clarified.

“Sometimes we’ll go to each other’s rooms if we need [makeup], like if someone has blue eyeliner or red lipstick. At Worlds, Gabby had me do her [hair] bows.” Indeed, the camaraderie between the two was built on simple human emotions and a shared goal to become the best in the world while all under Team USA.

Beyond friendship, Biles has publicly acknowledged Douglas as a critical inspiration, crediting her 2012 all-around gold, saying, “I remember watching Gabby Douglas win the 2012 Olympics, and I was like, If she can do it, I can do it.” Since Rio, though, the five have navigated through their lives in their own way, with all members pursuing different activities rather than just gymnastics. And for Gabby Douglas, though, her path included a latest comeback.

After an eight-year hiatus, she had her eyes set on the 2024 Paris Olympics. But this endeavor was cut short with an ankle injury just days before the 2024 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships.

Furthermore, Douglas confirmed her ambition to compete at the highest level, saying, “I’ve proved to myself and to the sport that my skills remain at an elite level. My plan is to continue to train for the L.A. 2028 Olympics. It would be such an honor to represent the U.S. at a home Olympics.” However, 2016 for this Team USA squad was a year to remember.

2016 was a big year for Simone Biles and her gymnastics team

Recently, Lauren Hernandez, who was a part of the “Final Five” squad, posted multiple pictures on her Instagram, dedicating it to the events that unfolded in 2016. “Did someone say 2016,” she captioned, but also wrote in the comments: “@zacefron just wanted u to know we all thought about making u a collaborator on this but instagram only allows for five so just know you own this post too. ur part of the final five too.” Why the clarification?

At the Rio Olympics, Zac Efron surprised Simone Biles and the US Women’s Gymnastics team, fulfilling a young Biles’ dream of meeting her celebrity crush. He visited them after their competitions, leading to several viral moments on social media.

The Instagram post started with a picture of the Hollywood star posing in front of a poster that included the “Final Five.” Other images showcased the goofy selfies that they took during their journey in Rio, as well as an iMessage group chat that had the same name as their gymnastics group.

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Some images also showcased the emotional and intense moments from the competition, as these girls went on to create history at the sport’s biggest stage. In the end, a picture of Biles showcased her lying on the ground, with the caption: “When you meet Zac Efron.” 10 years have passed, but their bond surely hasn’t faded away!