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A32 sports
Diahuebs 29 Juli 2021

Olympic champ Biles withdraws from all-around competition

(AP) — Simone Biles will not de- dismounts.
fend her Olympic title.
She posted on social media on Monday
The American gymnastics superstar that she felt the weight of the world
withdrew from Thursday’s all-around on her shoulders. The weight became
competition to focus on her mental too heavy after vaulting during team
well-being. finals. She lost herself in mid-air and
completed 1 1/2 twists instead of 2 1/2.
USA Gymnastics said in a statement She consulted with U.S. team doctor
on Wednesday that the 24-year-old is Marcia Faustin before walking off the
opting to not compete. The decision field of play.
comes a day after Biles removed her-
self from the team final following one When she returned, she took off her
rotation because she felt she wasn’t bar grips, hugged teammates Sunisa
mentally ready. Lee, Grace McCallum and Jordan
Chiles and turned into the team’s head
Jade Carey, who finished ninth in cheerleader as the U.S. claimed silver
qualifying, will take Biles’ place in behind the Russian Olympic Com-
the all-around. Carey initially did not mittee.
qualify because she was the third-
ranking American behind Biles and “Once I came out here (to compete), I
Sunisa Lee. International Gymnastics was like, ‘No mental is, not there so I
Federation rules limit countries to two just need to let the girls do it and focus
athletes per event in the finals. on myself,’” Biles said following the
medal ceremony.
The organization said Biles will be
evaluated daily before deciding if she The decision opens the door wide open
will participate in next week’s individ- for the all-around, a title that was long
ual events. Biles qualified for the finals considered a foregone conclusion. Re-
on all four apparatuses, something she beca Andrade of Brazil finished second
didn’t even do during her five-medal to Biles during qualifying, followed by
haul in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Lee and Russians Angelina Melnikova
and Vladislava Urazova. The four were
Biles spent a portion of Wednesday separated by three-tenths of a point on
evening watching American team- Sunday.
mates Sam Mikulak and Brody Malo-
ne compete in the men’s all-around fi- Carey now finds herself in the final,
nals. Mikulak, a three-time Olympian, capping a remarkable journey for the
praised Biles’ decision. 21-year-old from Phoenix. She spent
two years traveling the globe in an ef-
“We’ve had some conversations (and) fort to pile up enough points on the
she seems like she’s doing what’s best World Cup circuit to earn an individu-
for her,” Mikulak said. “It’s awesome al nominative spot, meaning she would
to see that she’s gotten to go against the be in the Olympics but technically not
pressure of society and do what’s best be part of the four-woman U.S. team.
for herself.”
Carey posted the second-best score
The 24-year-old came to Tokyo as pos- on vault and the third-best on floor
sibly the face of the Games following during qualifying, earning trips to the
the retirement of swimmer Michael event finals in the process. Now she
Phelps and sprinter Usain Bolt. She finds herself competing for an all-
topped qualifying on Sunday despite around medal while replacing the ath-
piling up mandatory deductions on lete considered the greatest of all-time
vault, floor and beam following shaky in the sport.