Simone Biles will lead the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team’s quest for “redemption” in Paris
The Games in 2024 will be the next stop for the 27-year old gymnast who has won seven Olympic Medals. She took a two-year break to focus on her mental health.
Jun 30, 2024 10:52 PM
Simone Biles secured her place on the U.S. Olympic Team in Paris by winning the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Jamie Squire/Getty Images hide caption
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Jamie Squire/Getty Images
MINNEAPOLIS – For many gymnasts, a slip on the balance beam or a foot out of line during the floor exercise, as well as too many steps taken after landing a vault, can be enough to ruin a chance for victory.
Simone Biles is the person we are talking about.
Biles is already one of the most decorated gymnasts in history. Despite a shaky performance at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, she still finished ahead of the rest by over 5.5 points, and secured a spot on the team competing at the games this summer in Paris.
The crowd was not bothered by the mistakes. Biles received a standing-ovation when she walked from the podium after her floor routine. This was her final event for the evening.
Olympic gold will be the next milestone in Biles’s return to dominance following a two-year break from competition. She was forced to withdraw in 2021 from several events at the Tokyo Olympics after suffering “twisties”, a psychological condition where a gymnast’s ability to control his or her body mid-air is lost. She has stated that the two-year hiatus was needed to care for her mental health.
“I had never imagined going to another Olympic Games in Tokyo because of the circumstances. Biles told reporters after the competition that she never imagined going back to the gym, feeling free, and twisting.
Biles is a heavy favorite to win the gold medals at the Olympics in Paris in the individual vault, floor and all-around events.
Suni Lee will join her in Paris. The St. Paul native, who won the all-around gold at the Tokyo Games on Sunday, will also be joining them.
Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and other Olympic veterans will also return to their second Games. Hezly, who just turned 16 years old in June, completes the team. Joscelyn Wong and Leanne Roberson, two alternates, will travel with the team.
In 2012 and 2016, the women’s team won gold at the team all-around. In Tokyo, however, the women’s team finished second after Biles withdrawn from the event.
The competitors said that the silver medal they won has stayed with them. The four athletes returning to Paris used the term “redemption” when discussing their goals.
“I feel that we all have more left to give.” Biles admitted that her performances in Tokyo were not the best. Biles said, “We weren’t in the best of circumstances either, but I think we have a great deal of pressure on us to prove that we are better athletes.”
The women’s trials were marred by injuries
The women’s trials were marred by a series of injuries that occurred both before and during the competition. Skye Blakely suffered an Achilles tendon injury during Wednesday’s pre-competition workout. Blakely finished second at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships. The U.S. Gymnastics Championships had boosted her chances of an Olympic nomination.
Shilese Jones, a second favorite to make it onto the Paris squad on Friday, injured her knee while warming up on the vault. After a few minutes, Kayla DiCello was forced to leave in a wheelchair due to an Achilles injury.
Back-to-back injury Fridays rattled the rest of the competitors. Lee, the vaulter who was next in line after DiCello had to wipe away tears before she could step onto the podium.
Lee, who spoke on Sunday, said: “I met with my therapist to try to clear my head yesterday because it was so heartbreaking to see two of my friends eliminated from this massive competition.” “My heart goes out to them.”
The U.S. Men’s Gymnastics Team heads to Paris in hopes of winning the first team medal since 2008.
The men’s squad was announced on Saturday night. The five competitors are led by Olympic veteran Brody Malone, and Fred Richard (a newcomer who is a social media sensation) will head to Paris in the hopes of winning the United States’ first team medal since 2008.
“We shouldn’t even aim for a single medal.” Richard said on Saturday that we should aim for gold and land somewhere.
Richard, 20 years old, scored the most points at the U.S. Team Trials, and Malone, 24 years old, finished second. Asher Hong will join them in Paris, as well as Stephen Nedoroscik and Paul Juda, and alternates Shane Wiskus, and Khoi Youn.
The team’s secondary goal, aside from returning to the podium of the team competitions, is to simply raise the profile and popularity of men’s Gymnastics. This sport has been long overshadowed in favor by the women’s version.
Hong said on Saturday that if we get a medal in Paris, like the one we have been working towards, it will fuel this fire.