OAN’s Brooke Mallory
3:37 PM – Monday, July 1, 2024
Gymnast Simone Biles is returning to the Olympic Games and the overwhelming limelight that accompanies it.
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The gymnast secured her seat on the five-woman automatic qualifying squad with a two-day all-around score of 117.225, earning her a third trip to the grandest stage of her sport on Sunday night.
Biles is returning to the games three years after withdrawing from multiple finals at the Tokyo Olympics to focus on her mental health. However, coaches say that she’s now back and better than than ever.
“Trusting the process and [my coaches], I knew I’d be back,” Biles said with a smile.
After she came back from a two-year vacation last summer, there has never really been any uncertainty about the trip to France. Over the past 12 months, she has set additional records for her eighth and ninth national championships and won her sixth world all-around title, solidifying her place as an Olympic-level athlete.
In addition to being a popular favorite that many hope can repeat her Olympic gold medalist win from 2016, she still has some areas for improvement before she makes the journey.
After successfully landing her Yurchenko double pike vault, Biles backpedaled, demonstrating the difficulty of the vault as well as the tremendous strength she produces during a technique that few male gymnasts attempt and even fewer accomplish as cleanly.
However, after failing to land her side aerial, Biles stepped off the beam, but her frustration was not as intense as it was following her performance on Friday, which resulted in her screaming an expletive in public.
Paris is now the next stop.
With much experience, the American team will be looking to reclaim the top spot on the podium after losing to Russia in 2020.
The 2020 Olympic floor exercise champion Jade Carey, the reigning Olympic champion Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles, Hezley Rivera, and 2020 Olympic silver medalist Jordan Chiles all made the final roster for Team USA. Leanne Wong and Joscelyn Roberson will also go to Paris as backups.
“And while there are still moments of anxiety — including at last year’s world championships — she has put safeguards in place to protect herself. She meets with a therapist weekly, even during competition season, something she didn’t do in preparation for the 2020 games,” according to CBS News.
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