Excerpted from Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance by Simone Biles, Copyright ? 2016 by Simone Biles. Used by permission of Zondervan, www.zondervan.com.From Chapter 19: The Final Five... [On] Tuesday, August 9, our team did exactly what we had been training for so many years to do: We performed almost flawless routines and won team gold. If the all-around win was considered to be the jewel in the crown, the team medal was the crown itself -- the main reason we were there. On the podium afterward, feeling the heavy gold disc around my neck, I felt so privileged to be standing with my teammates. All I could think was, Wow, we did it. How long have I dreamed about this? We were so happy for each other and for ourselves, but our job was only half over. The all-around competition and the event finals were still to come. I wasnt anywhere near finished trying to make my family and my country proud.That afternoon, we told Martha that wed named ourselves the Final Five as a tribute to her. When we explained how wed all agreed on the name, she dabbed the corners of her eyes and said in her thick accent, Oh my God, I love you guys even more now! And she hugged us tightly. The rest of the afternoon and evening was a whirl of press interviews and photo ops, and then it was home to our little pod in the Olympic Village. We all fell right into bed, because we had to be up for our regular eight a.m. training the next morning. Before going to sleep, I carefully folded the green multicolored ribbon around my medal and put it at the bottom of my backpack. Later, they would give us sleek wooden cases to hold our medals, but for now, my makeshift storage would have to do.Can you believe we actually did it? Laurie whispered, stifling a yawn before we drifted off. Were not just Olympians now; were gold medalists.I was too exhausted from happiness to answer, so I just smiled. But when I awoke the next morning, I wasnt quite sure if the day before had all been a dream. I reached for my backpack and pulled out the medal, just to be sure. I unrolled the green ribbon and placed the gold disc in the palm of my hand, feeling its distinctive weight as I sent up a silent prayer of gratitude.Thursday morning, the day of the Olympic all-around competition, dawned bright and clear. The apartment was silent when I opened my eyes. The rest of the girls except for Aly had already gone to breakfast. From there they would head to the training hall. Later, they would be in the gymnastics arena to see Aly and me battle it out with the best in the world for the coveted all-around title.I went to find Aly. She was in her room and still in bed. I feel so good about today, I told her.Me too, she said, holding up one hand for a fist bump.Were so prepared. I have a really good feeling.My heart was galloping in my chest, but it wasnt nerves; it was excitement. I could hardly wait to get into the arena. Aly and I each showered and then we did our hair and makeup together in the living room. We took our time because the competition wouldnt begin until the early afternoon. I outlined my eyes in gold glitter and chose a nude lipstick instead of a bold one. The eye makeup, with my usual winged corners, was dramatic enough, and my sparkly leo would complete the effect. The night before, wed chosen the leos we wanted to wear and laid them out on our beanbag chairs. Aly had opted for the shiny red with lines of crystals fanning out from the neckline like bursts of sunlight, while Id selected a super patriotic number with sheer white crystal-studded sleeves, and dazzling red-and-white stripes running from the shoulders down both sides, framing a high-sheen blue fabric dotted with glittering stars. Id saved this leotard, my favorite, for the all-around. I hoped its shimmer would help me win gold.I was already feeling incredibly happy to be sharing this day with Aly, who was such a rock-solid competitor and friend. As we walked to the bus that would take us to the arena, we held hands like schoolgirls and bobbed our heads to the music coming through our headphones. Every so often wed hug each other and say, Youre good. Youve worked so hard. You deserve to be here. Youve got this. And then wed say, I love you so much. I love you, no matter what. Today will be a good day.Our warm-up in the training hall went without a hitch or a fall, and then it was show time. Before we walked out to compete, we always used the bathroom just in case. As I washed my hands and stared at my face in the mirror, my stomach was suddenly doing somersaults. I plopped down on a bench that was just outside the bathroom and tried to pull myself together. A few moments later, Aly walked out and sat down beside me. When she leaned her head back against the wall, I noticed she looked really pale.Are you okay? I said.She shook her head from left to right.Are you okay? she asked me.No, I said. I feel like Im going to throw up.The two of us sat there for several minutes, breathing slowly and trying to settle ourselves down.Were okay, I said after a while.Weve got this, Aly said.We can do this.Weve done this so many times.I love you, Aly.I love you, Simone.Lets go.We did another fist bump and walked out onto the arena floor.Courage to Soar releases on Tuesday, order your copy here. Wholesale China Jerseys Free Shipping . LOUIS -- Rookie Tavon Austin has missed another day of practice, lessening the odds hell be ready for the St. Cheap NFL Jerseys 2020 . 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AMES, Iowa -- Baylors defense, lauded as one of the nations best, looked lost as Iowa State scored touchdown after touchdown.But the Bears did what they do best -- stuff teams late -- and escaped from Ames with a surprisingly close win.Chris Callahan hit a 19-yard field goal as time expired and No. 13 Baylor rallied from 14 down in the fourth quarter to beat Iowa State 45-42 on Saturday.Shock Linwood rushed for 237 yards for the Bears, who have yet to allow a point in the fourth this season.Baylor (5-0, 2-0), playing without star wide receiver KD Cannon because of a groin injury, trailed 42-28 before using scoring drives of 86 and 84 yards to tie it up.Baylors defense finally stiffened in the fourth quarter and Seth Russell -- who was 12 of 22 passing for 178 yards -- drove Baylor 83 yards to set up Callahans chip shot.Credit to Iowa State. They punched us in the mouth several times. We were speaking on the sidelines (saying) `this is still our game. Were still going to fight. And we did, Russell said.Joel Lanning threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns for Iowa State (1-4, 0-2). Mike Warren added a season-high 130 yards rushing for the Cyclones, who scored touchdowns on their first six full possessions but were shut out after that.I dont know what changed, Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said. I just think a couple of guys had chances to make plays and just didnt make them.THE TAKEAWAYBaylor: Yes, the Bears won. But concerns that Baylors tumultuous offseason would eventually catch up to the program will only deepen after its first league road game. Its defense looked lost for 45 minutes, and the passing game was subpar without Cannon. The Bears should get credit, though, for making the plays it needed to make in the fourth quarter.Iowa State: The Cyclones, who looked good in beating San Jose State by 34 points, were the better team for three quarters.dddddddddddd But Iowa States disturbing habit of collapsing in the fourth was apparent yet again. The Cyclones had eight yards on six plays in the final 15 minutes. Our defense stepped up big, Russell said.PIVOTAL MOMENTSIowa State didnt punt until the late in the third quarter. But Baylors defense, which held its opponents to 13.5 points per game in September, forced a pair of three-and-outs. The Bears turned those stops into the final 10 points of the game.NO QB SHUFFLEThe Cyclones had rotated Lanning with backup Jacob Park the last few games. But Lanning was so good early on that Park never left the bench. He finished with arguably his best game for the Cyclones -- a positive sign for a program focused more on progress than anything else in 2016. Joel got into a good rhythm and (I) just didnt feel like it was fair to pull him, Campbell said.POLL IMPLICATIONSA three-point road victory over an Iowa State team that lost to Iowa and TCU by an average of 30 points likely wont impress too many voters.HE SAID ITThats the Shock Linwood everyone told me about, Baylor interim coach Jim Grobe said. Linwood had just two carries for four yards last week.UP NEXTBaylor: The Bears, after a bye week, host Kansas on Oct. 15 in what could be one of the most lopsided matchups in the history of the Big 12. Baylor was a 46-point road favorite against the Jayhawks last year and covered with room to spare, beating Kansas 66-7 despite playing its backups for much of the second half.Iowa State: The Cyclones travel to face Oklahoma State in the second game of a brutal stretch. Iowa State plays at Texas the following week and, after a bye, hosts Kansas State and Oklahoma.---Online: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '