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SPORTS Tuesday 13 augusT 2019
Continued from Page 17 a meet. Well, at least for
Spend enough time in the anyone not named Simone
gym around the 22-year- Biles. "I wanted to see how
old who is redefining what's it looked," she said.
possible in her sport one ex- Here's a word: historic.
hilarating routine at a time "It's like she hit a hole in one
and it quickly becomes and we were all there," USA
evident that sidestepping Gymnastics high perfor-
a challenge isn't really her mance director Tom Forster
thing. said. "It's a big deal and we
So she threw it at the end all know it. No one in the
of her first tumbling pass, fu- world has done it before in
eled by adrenaline, ambi- the women and actually,
tion and otherworldly skill. she does it better than most
When the dizzying com- of the men who have done
bination ended with her it. She should be super ex-
feet firmly on the floor — if cited about that."
barely in bounds — the jolt She was. When Biles finished
through the packed arena off a two-hour showcase
was palpable. The smile that highlighted how wide
on her face unmistakable. the gulf between herself
And the competition — just and the rest of the world
like it has been for six years has become by drilling her
and counting whenever dismount on uneven bars: Simone Biles competes in the floor exercise during the senior women's competition at the 2019 U.S.
Biles is involved — was over. she danced. Gymnastics Championships Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, in Kansas City, Mo.
The triple-double served as Well, sort of. Biles gave Landi Associated Press
the exclamation point on a relieved high-five before
her sixth national champi- sticking out her tongue and sensation in 2016, cement- the world, she does them day and she was, despite
onship. Her two-day total waving her arms as she ran ing her status as one of the better than anyone else. a technical glitch before
of 118.500 was nearly five to hug the rest of competi- best ever with two weeks of Biles won floor, balance her floor when the music
points clear of 16-year-old tors in her rotation. gymnastics that came as beam and vault and fin- started before she took
Sunisa Lee in second and The anger of Friday night — close to perfection as the ished third on bars even her starting position. She
more almost seven points when she openly seethed sport allows. with her "meh" set on Friday. walked off the podium, ex-
ahead of third-place finish- after shorting the triple- A year to go before a re- "She does stuff that I never haled and then went out
er Grace McCallum. double and making a bit turn trip to the games, Biles thought people could do," and drilled her set.
Yet Biles doesn't pay too of a mess on bars — was is even better. And really, Lee said. "I think more than anything,
much attention to the gone. it's not close. Lee and 2017 world cham- tonight just really helped
margin or her scores for "I was a lot happier today," "She's a freaking beast," pion Morgan Hurd were my confidence," Hurd said.
that matter. She's been a Biles said. "I feel I haven't said MyKayla Skinner, an al- the only women in the field Something every gymnast
fixture atop the podium been as confident on bars ternate on the 2016 Olym- to place ahead of Biles on struggles with sometimes.
for six years and count- this year as I was last year. pic team who clinched a any event, finishing one- Biles included. Yes, really. It
ing. Attempting to find the To finally do a good routine spot on the national team two on bars, solidifying their speaks to her inner perfec-
boundaries of her immense like I can do it, I was really by finishing eighth. "Like, I chances of joining Biles at tionist that even after finish-
talent is what drives her. happy. I was very happy don't even understand. I world championships in ing the triple-double, she
It's why she got so angry and the last event, so I always ask her, 'Do you re- Germany in October in the still knows it wasn't quite her
after putting both hands was like, 'Thank God we're alize how good you are?' process. best. "It wasn't as good as in
down as she tried to land done.'" And she's like 'Yeah, but I Hurd rebounded from a some of the trainings," she
the triple-double on Fri- For now anyway. Biles is don't know.' It just comes so rocky floor exercise on Fri- said. "But I'm just happy that
day. It's why she never two months away from a naturally, it's amazing." day that dropped her to I landed it because after
thought about ditching it trip to the world champion- In a sport that sometimes eighth overall to zoom up night one, my confidence
on Sunday. And it's why ships — where her 20 med- forces athletes to choose to fourth despite admit- got shot down. So I was re-
she sneaked a peek at her als are tied for the most by between skill and execu- ting she "wanted to throw ally worried about it going
phone while rotating from a female gymnast — and tion, Biles doesn't have to. up a little" when the night into today and that was all
floor to balance beam, a year away from a return She not only puts together began. She promised she I could worry about."
typically a no-no during to the Olympics. She was a the most difficult routines in would be better on Sun- Not anymore.q

Martínez scores twice to extend streak, Atlanta beats NYCFC

By The Associated Press headed home to make it victory over Los Angeles. ond time in its last eight for Houston (9-13-3) in his
ATLANTA (AP) — Josef Mar- 1-0 in 42nd minute. Mar- Rodríguez side-footed a matches. Dynamo debut after being
tínez scored twice to ex- tínez converted from spot rebound into an open net Favio Álvarez scored for traded from Los Angeles
tend his MLS-record goals in the 63rd to double the to make it 2-1 in the 73rd the Galaxy (12-11-1). They FC on Wednesday. Hous-
streak to 10 games and At- advantage. minute. Ulises Segura's shot have lost four of their last ton has lost seven of its last
lanta United beat New York Héber Araujo dos Santos from outside the box was five games. eight games.q
City FC 2-1 on Sunday. capped the scoring in the stopped by a diving David UNION 2, DYNAMO 1
Martínez has 10 goals in 81st, blasting a first-timer, Bingham but the rebound CHESTER, Pa. (AP) — Kacper
Atlanta's last seven games off a feed by Valentín Cas- went directly to Arriola and Przybylko and Jack Elliott
and scored 15 times in his tellanos, into the net from the corner of the 6-yard scored in Philadelphia's vic-
last 10. the top of the area. New box. His first-timer was par- tory over Houston.
Defending champion At- York City (10-5-8) has lost ried by Bingham, but Ro- Elliott's header gave Phila-
lanta (13-9-3) has won four two of its last three games. dríguez tapped in the put- delphia a 2-1 lead in the
of its last five games. D.C. UNITED 2, GALAXY 1 back from near the spot. 78th minute. The Union (13-
Julian Gressel, on the right WASHINGTON (AP) — Lu- D.C. (10-7-9) snapped a 7-6) have won three of their
side, played a high cross to cas Rodríguez and Paul Ar- three-game winless skid last four games.
the far post that Martínez riola scored in D.C. United's and won for just the sec- Christian Ramirez scored