As a young gymnast growing up in Oklahoma in the 1980s, I had one idol: Mary Lou Retton, who vaulted her way to victory at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Mary Lou was peppy, compact and full of explosive power. As a gymnast I was nothing like her. All the same, I was determined to carry on her legacy: to go out and achieve excellence at every single competition, no matter what the circumstances.Mary Lous accomplishments followed me and my future Olympic teammates to dream throughout our childhoods, and they accompanied us as we marched into the Georgia Dome for our own Olympic moment when we won gold in July of 1996.Fast forward 20 years, and the Final Five -- Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Gabrielle Douglas, Madison Kocian and Laurie Hernandez -- are the undisputed queens of gymnastics. You cant really compare the victories: My teammates and I won Olympic gold by eight-tenths of a point in a close duel with the Russians. The Final Five stormed the Rio Olympic Arena and landed eight whole points above the nearest competition (still Russia). They are that good.No one word does this team justice, but when I think about it I keep coming back to the word strong. All gymnasts are physically strong, and behind every flawless routine is half a lifetime of work. But the mental strength displayed by these five young women surpasses age, natural talent, and even the assurance that springs from outstanding past results.It was an open secret that the American women were going to win the team gold medal in Rio, barring a stranger-than-fiction catastrophe. It was so clear they were the best that they didnt even need to do everything they were capable of to lock down that medal. They could have chosen to simplify their routines. To play it safe. To protect the gold. They could have accepted winning by seven points, or six, or five -- and it still would have been glorious.But they refused to go easy. They gave everything they had, performing to the maximum of their abilities. And they executed flawlessly, turning in the most dominant performance of any womens gymnastics team ever.We say its easier to be the hunter than the hunted. I always felt it was simpler to be the underdog, because when there are no expectations, whatever you do is going to be great. But when youre the team thats supposed to win -- when youve been splashed across the media and everyone is saying that you cant possibly lose this -- it can throw you off balance. What I love about the Final Five is that each of these young women was actually able to thrive on that pressure. They understood that they were walking in as the best and they were determined to maintain that. To be able to cross the finish line, to fight for every tenth of a point as though everything were riding on it, is as hard as most of the gymnastics they did so well in Rio.What better example could be set for all the little girls who were glued to their TV or computer screens watching them this summer? What more could we ask for in role models for our daughters, the next generation of Simones, Alys, Gabbys, Madisons and Lauries?More on the Final Five? They are the greatest! U.S. are best womens gymnastics team ever?Story ?? Simone Biles and Final Five meet Zac Efron?Story ?? The Final Five gymnasts play Hungry Hungry Humans with Jimmy Fallon?Story ?? 9 stunning photos of the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team?Photo gallery ?The IMPACT25 is espnWs annual list of the 25 athletes and influencers who have made the greatest difference for women in sports. Explore the 2016 list and more content at espnW.com/IMPACT25. Clayton Thorson Youth Jersey . 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The Philadelphia 76ers find themselves in a familiar position as they host the Indiana Pacers in the second game of a home-and-home set on Friday night.The Sixers, who lost their first 17 games in 2014-15 and their first 18 last season, remain the Eastern Conferences lone winless team at 0-7, having dropped a 122-115 overtime game to the Pacers on Wednesday night in Indiana.Philadelphia has also lost 44 straight October/November games dating back to an overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 22, 2013.The Sixers led Wednesdays game 109-107 when Philadelphia guard Gerald Henderson buried a 3-pointer from the right wing with 6.3 seconds remaining, but Pacers forward Paul George dropped in a baseline jumper with 3.9 seconds left to tie it. George then put his team ahead for good with a 3-pointer 41 seconds into the extra period. George scored seven of his 28 points in OT to lift Indiana to its 10th victory in its last 11 games against Philadelphia.I just was trying to have energy plays to kind of close out that overtime, George told the Indianapolis Star. I thought, really, the final moments in the fourth quarter and overtime, thats how we have to look.Veteran point guard Jeff Teague, acquired from Atlanta in a three-team trade in the offseason, scored a season-high 30 points for the Pacers. After averaging 9.8 points on 24.6-percent shooting in his first five games, he is scoring 20 points a game on 57.9-percent accuracy in hiis last three.ddddddddddddI just wanted to be aggressive and I stopped thinking so much and just played, he told the Star. That was the biggest thing. Ive been thinking a lot the first couple of games just trying to figure it out. Ive been making it hard on myself.Sixers coach Brett Brown, in his fourth season, set a franchise record for defeats with his 206th, in just 253 games. The previous record-holder was Larry Brown, who went 255-205 in six seasons in Philadelphia.The position that I have is so much more than that, Brett Brown told the Philadelphia Inquirer. We are trying to grow a program with a bunch of 20-year-olds. I dont even care about it nor think about it.Forward Robert Covington led the Sixers with 23 points on Wednesday, and like Teague is emerging from a slump. After shooting 16.7 percent from the floor in his first five games, he has made 57.1 percent of his attempts the last two, including 8 of 13 3-pointers (61.5 percent).Sixers center Joel Embiid, who missed his first two seasons as a result of two foot surgeries, rested Wednesday but is expected to play Friday. He averages a team-leading 17.6 points a game.Philadelphia continues to be without forward Ben Simmons (broken foot), the drafts top overall pick, as well as guard Jerryd Bayless (wrist) and center/forward Nerlens Noel (knee). ' ' '