Page 16 - aruba-today-20240729

A16 sports
Monday 29 July 2024

Simone Biles shakes off a calf injury to dominate during Olympic

gymnastics qualifying

By WILL GRAVES finals, with 2020 floor exer-
AP National Writer cise champion Jade Carey
The similarities were striking. in good position to join Biles
Maybe fitting in the birth- in the vault final.
place of déjà vu. That is, of course, if Biles is
Simone Biles sitting off to the healthy.
side at the Olympics. USA The injury added a dash of
Gymnastics team doctor drama to an event that's be-
Marcia Faustin by her side. come a must-see for athletes
A look of concern on both and celebrities alike.
their faces. The stands were buzzing and
Three years ago in Tokyo, filled with stars. Tom Cruise
the scene ended with Biles posed for selfies while waiting
removing herself from mul- for Biles to emerge. Snoop
tiple finals to protect her Dogg had front-row seats,
safety — prompting an in- and Ariana Grande, Jessica
ternational discussion about Chastain, John Legend and
mental health. Yet Biles is de- Anna Wintour were also on
termined to write a different hand.
ending to the story in Paris. Biles arrived in Paris as the
The 27-year-old American face of the U.S. Olympic
star wasn't dealing with any movement and maybe the
sort of block or trauma but Olympics themselves. The
something far more com- Simone Biles of United States, has her ankle taped after competing on the uneven bars during a buzz around her return to the
mon to gymnasts, particu- women's artistic gymnastics qualification round at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Games has been palpable,
Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France.
larly ones who have been Associated Press with NBC leaning heavily into
doing this two decades. her star power by splashing
Just like in Tokyo, Biles and podium, danced with good — both after the injury — as search for what they're call- Biles' face on countless pro-
Faustin briefly disappeared. friend Jordan Chiles and has she tries to add to her ca- ing “redemption” following motions in the lead-up to
Unlike Tokyo, Biles returned no plans to stop her quest for reer total of seven Olympic a runner-up finish to Russia Paris.
not in a sweatsuit but with her gold in Tuesday's team final medals. three years ago. Her gravitational pull is real.
left leg heavily taped after and Thursday's individual all- The only event final Biles is “They’re happy and re- Athletes across the Olympic
tweaking her calf during her around. likely to miss is uneven bars, lieved,” Landi said. “Day 1, spectrum have said they
warmup on floor exercise. "It was pretty amazing, 59.5,” where she opted not to at- now moving on to team fi- want to make it a point to
She spent the rest of the Landi said. “Not perfect so tempt a unique skill she sub- nals, all-around finals, a cou- catch the most decorated
afternoon walking around she can improve even (but) mitted to the International ple event finals hopefully.” gymnast of all time put on
with a noticeable limp ev- ... just really good.” Gymnastics Federation on Landi said Biles' leg was feel- a show that is uniquely hers.
erywhere except the com- Landi said the issue popped Friday. She can still opt to ing better as she moved Among them: LeBron James
petition floor. up a couple of weeks ago do it during the team final, through the events and ex- and the U.S. men's basket-
The woman who has been and she described it as mi- opening the door for it to be pects her to be available ball team, which was busy
saying over and over and nor. There was no discussion entered into the sport's Code going forward. Sunday with their Olympic
over that this isn't 2021 went of Biles pulling out. of Points with her name at- The reality is the Americans opener.
out and proved it on Sunday Instead, Landi and her hus- tached. — especially with Russia out James & Co. may have a
inside star-studded Bercy band, Laurent — who have Yet that appeared to be of the mix due to the war in chance to catch Biles later
Arena, shaking off what long served as Biles' personal far from Biles' mind when Ukraine — don't need to rely this week, provided her calf
U.S. coach Cecile Landi coach in Texas — encour- she finished up her bars set. on her as much as they have cooperates, hardly a given in
described as a minor calf aged her to take a breath Instead, there was a mixture in previous Games. a sport where the injury rate
issue to post the top score and keep going as Laurent of relief and the urge to soak Biles, Lee and Chiles went is nearly 100%.
in the all-around and put applied heavy doses of tape in the moment following her 1-2-3 in the all-around dur- Biles has spent the last 11
whatever lingering ghosts to her leg. dismount at what could be ing early qualifying, though years largely avoiding the
there may be from Tokyo in “We told her to remind her- the final competition of her Chiles will miss the all-around kind of physical setbacks that
the rearview mirror. self, like she’s capable of unparalleled career. final due to rules that limit have ended the Olympic
Biles finished at 59.566, well doing it,” Landi said. “She The same could be said of countries to entering two journeys of so many others.
clear of reigning Olympic knows she’s got it and it's OK her teammates after the athletes per competition. Not for Biles — not yet any-
champion and teammate and then she did. So, really heavily favored Americans There's a chance Chiles will way — as her chance at a
Sunisa Lee, saluting the excited for her.” finished at 172.296, more make the floor exercise final golden send-off remains very
crowd after her dismount The issue hardly slowed her than five points clear of should she finish in the top much in the offing even if she
on uneven bars, her final down. Biles posted the high- Italy (166.861) through two eight. Lee is practically a literally is now forced to take
event. She hopped off the est score on floor and vault of five subdivisions as they lock for the beam and bars it one ginger step at a time.q