Simone Biles, the trailblazing gymnast who has redefined the limits of the sport over the past decade, is poised to make her long-awaited return to competition this Saturday. This will be her first appearance since the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where she claimed two medals but also withdrew from several events to prioritize her mental and physical well-being.
Gymnastics enthusiasts have been eagerly anticipating this comeback, as it is widely regarded as Biles’ initial step towards the 2024 Paris Games. The U.S. Classic, the competition she will be participating in, sold out weeks in advance, largely due to the presence of the 26-year-old phenom, who has the potential to shatter multiple world and Olympic records in the coming year.
This particular meet, which serves as the final chance for athletes to qualify for the national championships later this month, boasts the strongest lineup ever assembled. The participants have accumulated an impressive total of 55 medals from the Olympics and world championships, as tallied by the GymCastic podcast.
In 2019, Biles introduced an extraordinary skill—a beam dismount featuring a double-twisting double back flip. However, the international gymnastics federation assigned it a lower point value than expected, citing its risky nature and the need to ensure the safety of all athletes. Biles’s double pike vault also received a similarly reduced point value.
Based on past experiences, Biles is expected to return to top form this weekend, despite her hiatus from elite competition. After the 2016 Rio Games, she took a two-year break before dominating the 2018 national championships, claiming the all-around title with an impressive 6.55-point margin. She then went on to win a total of 11 medals at the subsequent two world championships, with nine of them being gold.
In Tokyo, however, Biles faced a mental block known among gymnasts as the “twisties,” which caused a disconnection between her mind and body while in midair. Consequently, she made the decision to withdraw from the all-around, vault, uneven bars, and floor exercise finals. Despite these challenges, she managed to secure a silver medal in the team event and a bronze on the balance beam.
There was speculation about Biles potentially retiring from the sport altogether. However, in late 2021, she headlined her own 35-city gymnastics tour. During this time, she also tied the knot with Jonathan Owens, a professional football player, and enjoyed trips to sunny destinations with her close friends. Additionally, Biles prioritized her mental health and engaged in therapy to address past traumas and promote healing.
About a month ago, Biles confirmed that she had resumed serious training and would be competing in the U.S. Classic. For her, this event serves as a warm-up, as she is highly likely to vie for an eighth national all-around title in San Jose, California, on August 27.
Following the U.S. Classic, the world championships in Belgium loom on the horizon, and there is a possibility that the U.S. team could be the strongest in history by next summer. Olympic medalists Sunisa Lee, Gabrielle Douglas, Jade Carey, and Jordan Chiles, along with Olympic alternates Leanne Wong and Kayla DiCello, are all vying for spots on the five-person squad that will represent the country in Paris.
Douglas, the all-around champion in 2012 and a team gold medalist in 2016, is the only gymnast among this group who will not compete until next year. She recently announced her return to the sport.
Lee, the reigning Olympic all-around champion and a powerhouse on the uneven bars, is expected to showcase her skills on multiple apparatuses at the U.S. Classic. However, her path forward is not as straightforward as Biles’. Lee, known as Suni, cut short her collegiate career at Auburn due to kidney issues. If she competes in only two events at the Classic, she must perform well and file a petition with U.S.A. Gymnastics to secure a spot in the national championships and possibly the world championships.
If both Biles and Lee end up competing in Belgium, they would be the first Olympic all-around champions to join forces on the same world championship team. This prospect has generated immense excitement among gymnastics fans, and their presence would undoubtedly create a captivating spectacle.
On Saturday, Biles and Lee will showcase their talents during the evening session of the U.S. Classic, which kicks off at 8 p.m. Eastern time. The event will be livestreamed on Peacock and broadcasted on CNBC.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
