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SPORTS Tuesday 21 augusT 2018

Biles dresses “for the survivors” while winning 5th U.S. title

Continued from Page 17 Perry danced around the of reigning world champi-
question when asked if the on Morgan Hurd and a full
“I stand with all of them organization planned to do seven points clear of Riley
and I think it’s kind of spe- anything specific to honor McCusker. Biles’ margin of
cial to unite (people).” the survivors. Ultimately, victory was greater than
The 21-year-old came up USA Gymnastics did not, the gap between Hurd and
with the idea eight months though Perry said she en- 11th-place finisher Jordan
ago, long before she knew visions a day when the or- Chiles. “She pushes us,”
how her comeback follow- ganization and the victims McCusker said. “I’m hon-
ing a post-Olympic break stand “side by side.” estly just in awe of her.”
would go. In the end, it si- It’s already happening, Biles is the second woman
multaneously served as a and it has little to do with to win nationals five times,
beacon to her otherworldly USA Gymnastics and every- joining Clara Schroth Lo-
gymnastics while also high- thing to do with Biles. mady, who won six be-
lighting the need to keep She has opted against pro- tween 1945 and 1952. Biles
the Nassar victims at the viding specifics about her also became the first wom-
forefront. experiences with Nassar. an since three-time Olym- Simone Biles competes on the balance beam at the U.S. Gym-
It’s a balance USA Gym- In a way, her boundary- pian Dominique Dawes in nastics Championships, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Boston.
nastics can’t seem to lo- pushing gymnastics and 1994 to wind up first on floor Associated Press
cate. Biles’ electric perfor- thoughtful fashion choice exercise, balance beam, whirlwind. She basked in She didn’t get serious
mance came hours after will send a stronger mes- vault and uneven bars. the aftermath of her glori- about a return until last fall,
USA Gymnastics president sage than any words ever “It was shocking then (in ous run at the 2016 Olym- when she went back into
Kerry Perry spent 22 minutes could. ‘94) and it’s shocking now, pics in which she brought training with new coaches
talking around the fallout of Two years after winning too,” said high perfor- home a record-tying five in Laurent and Cecile Landi
the Nassar scandal without four gold medals in at the mance coordinator Tom medals and entered the intent on not just returning
offering much in the way 2016 Summer Games, Biles Forster. Forster and the rest “first-name” pantheon in to the form that made her
of substance in her first ex- has somehow reached an- of the world might want to her sport, a club that in- one of the stars in Rio de
tended public comments other level. She posted a get used to it. Again. cludes fellow Olympic Janeiro but seeing just how
since taking over last De- two-day total of 119.850, A year ago, Biles was wrap- champions Nadia Coman- far she could push herself
cember. more than six points ahead ping up a post-Olympic eci and Mary Lou Retton. and her sport.q