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sports Diaranson 28 Juli 2021

Biles withdraws from gymnastics final to protect team, self

(AP) — Simone Biles ar- three rotations. ROC, how-
rived in Tokyo as the star ever, never wavered on floor.
of the U.S. Olympic move- And they erupted when
ment and perhaps the 21-year-old Angelina Mel-
Games themselves. She nikova’s score assured them
convinced herself she was of the top spot on the podi-
prepared for the pressure. um for the first time since the
That she was ready to car- Unified Team won in Barce-
ry the burden of outsized lona in 1992.
expectations.
COMPLETE OLYMPICS
Only, as the women’s gym- COVERAGE
nastics team final approached Biles withdraws from gym-
on Tuesday night, something nastics final to protect team,
felt off. And the athlete wide- self
ly considered the Greatest of Rough day for stars Sim-
All Time in her sport knew it. one Biles, Naomi Osaka at
Olympics
So rather than push through Five swimming events to be
the doubts that crept into her decided on Day 5 of Olym-
head as she’s done so many pics
times in the past, Biles decid- 'About time': LGBTQ Olym-
ed enough was enough. She pic athletes unleash a rain- that’s what people expected ing during qualifying left the and balance beam. The
was done. For now. bow wave of her. Americans looking up at the 20-year-old who made the
The victory came a day af- ROC on the scoreboard. team with her steady consis-
The American star withdrew ter ROC men’s team edged Not anymore. And the stand tency pulled off a solid bars
from the competition follow- Japan for the top spot in the she took could resonate far The tension affected her routine and drilled her bal-
ing one rotation, opening the men’s final. Great Britain beyond the color of any med- practice. It affected her confi- ance beam set two days after
door for the team of Russian edged Italy for bronze. al she may win in Tokyo. dence. And when she stepped falling twice on the event.
athletes to win gold for the onto the vault runway, it fi-
first time in nearly three de- “The impossible is possible Biles is the latest in a series of nally found its way to her Thanks in part to a little help
cades. now,” Melnikova said. high-profile athletes, includ- performance, too. from ROC — which count-
ing tennis star Naomi Osaka, ed a pair of falls on beam —
Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee Perhaps in more ways than who have used their plat- She was scheduled to do an the U.S. drew within striking
and Grace McCallum guided one. forms to discuss their men- “Amanar” vault that requires distance heading to floor, the
the U.S. to silver while Biles tal heath struggles. A subject a roundoff back handspring final rotation.
cheered from the sideline in a In the five years since Biles that was once taboo has be- onto the table followed by
white sweatsuit, at peace with and the U.S. put on a daz- come far more accepted and 2 1/2 twists. Biles instead Without Biles and her other-
a decision that revealed a shift zling display on their way to embraced. did just 1 1/2 twists with a worldly tumbling, the U.S.
not only in Biles but perhaps gold in Rio de Janeiro, gym- big leap forward after land- needed to be near perfect to
the sport she’s redefined. nastics has undergone a reck- U.S. Olympic and Paralym- ing. She sat down and talked close the gap. It didn’t hap-
oning. The tectonic plates pic Committee CEO Sarah to U.S. team doctor Marcia pen. Chiles stumbled to the
“We also have to focus on in a sport where obedience, Hirshland applauded Biles Faustin, then headed to the mat at the end of her second
ourselves, because at the discipline and silence were for prioritizing her “mental back while the rest of the pass, and any chance the U.S.
end of the day we’re human, long considered as important wellness over all else” and of- Americans moved on to un- had of chasing down ROC
too,” Biles said. “So, we have as talent and artistry are mov- fered the organization’s full even bars without her. went right along with it.
to protect our mind and our ing. support. USA Gymnastics
body, rather than just go out women’s program vice-presi- When Biles returned several Not that Chiles or the rest
there and do what the world Biles has become an out- dent called Biles’ act “incred- minutes later, she hugged her of the Americans particular-
wants us to do.” spoken advocate for athlete’s ibly selfless.” teammates and took off her ly cared. The gold might be
rights and the importance of bar grips. And just like that, gone, but something more
The Americans — fueled by proper mental health. There Biles posted on social me- her night was over. significant may have hap-
an uneven bars routine by was a time, there were many dia Monday that she felt the pened instead. It’s a tradeoff
Lee that not even Biles could times actually, where she weight of the world on her “To see her kind of go out they can live with.
match — drew within eight- felt she wasn’t right and just shoulders after an unchar- like that is very sad because
tenths of a point through powered through because acteristically sloppy show- this Olympic Games, I feel “This medal is definitely for
like, is kind of hers,” Lee said. (Biles),” said Chiles. “If it
wasn’t if it wasn’t for her, we
Biles is scheduled to defend wouldn’t be here where we
her Olympic title in the all- are right now. We wouldn’t
around final on Thursday. be a silver medalist because
She also qualified for all of who she is as a person.”
four event finals later in the
Games. She said she will re- Chiles then turned to her
group on Wednesday before good friend. Biles helped
deciding whether to contin- convince her to move to
ue. Houston to train alongside
her two years ago, a decision
Biles’ abrupt absence forced that turned Chiles into an
the Americans to scramble a Olympian. In an empty arena
bit. The finals are a three-up/ in the middle of Japan with
three-count format, meaning the world watching, Chiles
each country enters three of did for Biles what Biles has
their four athletes on an ap- done for so many for so long.
paratus, with all three scores She had her back.
counting.
“Kudos to you girl,” Chiles
Chiles stepped in to take said. “This is all for you.”
Biles’ place on uneven bars