Despite dealing with a left leg injury and a calf issue, Simone Biles showcased her incredible skills and dominated the qualifying round with the U.S. women’s gymnastics team at the Paris Olympics on Sunday.
According to U.S. coach Cecile Landi, Biles’ injury is considered minor and has been causing her some discomfort for a few weeks. However, there has been no talk of benching the accomplished seven-time Olympic medalist.
Only a slight difference. Biles has successfully finished the qualifying round and currently holds the top spot in the all-around standings with an impressive total of 59.566.
Biles impressed the audience with her performance on the balance beam during qualifying but seemed to have a minor injury while warming up for the floor exercise. She departed the floor alongside Team USA doctor Marcia Faustin, mirroring the previous incident in Tokyo where Biles withdrew from the team competition to prioritize her safety.
Biles, despite her ankle being taped, achieved the highest score on the floor and vault in the first two subdivisions. She chose to simplify her uneven bars routine by excluding a skill she had previously submitted to the International Gymnastics Federation on Friday.
She performed her typical routine and received a score of 14.333. Afterward, she made an effort to avoid putting excessive pressure on her leg after her dismount.
Landi mentioned that there have been no talks about removing Biles from the Paris Olympics.
Biles’ upcoming event is the team final on Tuesday, which she chose not to participate in during the Tokyo Olympics due to safety concerns. Her decision sparked a global conversation on mental health. On Thursday, the highly anticipated individual all-around event will take place.
This is a historic moment as Biles and her teammate Sunisa Lee, who won the gold medal in Tokyo while Biles was unable to compete, will go head-to-head in the final, making them the first pair of Olympic all-around champions to do so.
Source: Associated Press