Simone Biles wasn’t flawless on Friday evening (28 June) as the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for gymnastics began, but she was more than good enough.
Inside Minneapolis’ Target Center, the 27-year-old scored a 58.900 in the all-around to secure the top spot on the leaderboard, as she has done so many times before. Tokyo 2020 team silver medallist Jordan Chiles (56.400) followed in second place, with reigning Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee (56.025) in third.
Early Withdrawals Impact Competitors
Earlier, six-time World Championships medallist Shilese Jones withdrew from the competition after performing only on the uneven bars. She appeared to injure her knee during the final pre-meet warm-ups on vault and had to be assisted off the podium by medical staff. 2023 Pan American Games all-around champion Kayla DiCello also withdrew from the event.
Biles Shines with Signature Vault
In the final rotation, Biles executed her signature, daring Yurchenko double pike, a vault named in her honour last season. She posted a remarkable 15.975, bringing the near-capacity crowd to its feet.
Despite uncharacteristic wobbles on the balance beam in the night’s second rotation, Biles looks as good, if not better than ever, with a month until the women’s qualifying round at Paris 2024.
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A Legacy of Excellence
It’s quite the feat for the veteran gymnast, who holds 37 World Championships and Olympic medals, making her the most decorated gymnast of all time.
Coach Cecile Landi, a 1996 Olympian for France, says Biles’ competitive performances are the result of relentless hard work.
“She’s shown everybody the value of hard work. A lot of people are surprised by how hard she works daily,” said Landi. “No matter how talented she is, she puts in the numbers.”
Mental Health and a Balanced Approach
In her post-Tokyo 2020 return to the sport, Biles has adjusted her approach, prioritizing her mental health after experiencing ‘the twisties’ – a condition where an athlete’s body and mind fall out of sync – which caused her to withdraw from five Olympic finals.
“All the work she’s been doing outside the gym, and just being 27, married, with other things going on in her life, helps her maintain a good balance. It’s not only about gymnastics, and that keeps her grounded,” explained Landi. “She’s calm. She laughs. She’s back to her sometimes goofy self that we had missed, so I think this is where it shows.”
