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Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles of the United States officially qualified for the Paris Olympics (July 26-August 11) on Sunday, where she hopes to shine three years after collapsing in Tokyo. At 27, the four-time Olympic champion from Rio in 2016 has returned to the Olympic rings by brilliantly winning the American trials on Sunday in Minneapolis in a boiling atmosphere.
The most decorated gymnast in history (23 world titles, four Olympics) has taken a long road to redemption since the nightmare of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where she withdrew from several events, victim of “twisties” (loss of bearings in space), before opening up about her mental health problems. Biles has been away from the floor for many months, not returning to competition until August 2023, and now doubts about her willingness to go all the way to Paris. She provided the answer on Sunday, after regaining the world all-around title in the fall in Antwerp and the national all-around title three weeks ago.
“Not finished”
“I knew after Tokyo that I wasn’t done,” assured the winner of the trials with 117.225 points. Over the two days (Friday and Sunday), the gymnast with jaw-dropping acrobatics wowed the audience with her floor programs and vaults, including her “Biles II” (Yurchenko double pike), so difficult that no other gymnast has ever attempted it in competition. Biles nevertheless made a few mistakes, such as a fall on the beam on Sunday at the end of an excellent routine, still earning her the very good score of 13.900, for a performance much better than the one on the first day that had infuriated her.
She will be accompanied in Paris by Suni Lee, the reigning Olympic all-around champion, who is also making a moving comeback after overcoming two kidney illnesses that nearly ended her career. “I’ve always been surrounded by people who never gave up,” said Lee, before breaking down in tears in a selection ceremony that was orchestrated as a real show. Jordan Chiles, team silver medalist in Tokyo with Biles and Lee, will be there, as will reigning Olympic floor champion Jade Carey and young Hezly Rivera (16 years old). “I love these girls and I’m going to take care of them in Paris,” promised Biles, now the oldest member of Team USA.
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