Simone Biles Steel, brilliance, and audacity.
These are the best ways to describe what the American women’s gymnastics team did in the Olympic qualifying round in Paris, 2024.
After section two, the United States, headed by two Olympic all-around champions—a first in history—sprang to the top of the standings over Italy, despite several moments of doubt and uncertainty.
Beginning her return to the Games with a fantastic beam performance (14.733), seven-time Olympic winner Simone Biles won the gold in the Rio all-around competition. Before rotating into her second rotation, Biles seemed to have hurt her lower leg on the floor exercise. Biles, who preferred to use her left leg, returned to competition after being evaluated by medical experts.
This Olympic cycle, Biles won the all-around competition with the highest score ever recorded by a gymnast in an international competition (59.566). Bales also won on the floor (14.600) and vault (15.300). With 14.433 points on uneven bars and 14.733 points on beam, Biles is now in sixth.
As per her coach Cecile Landi, Biles had “a little something in her calf” after the competition, but she didn’t plan on pulling out. Biles began to feel better, according to Landi, as the competition went on. For the time being, there are no concerns about her ability to compete in the remaining Games.
Notwithstanding her challenges, Simone Biles’s teammates were there for her.
A flawless performance on uneven bars secured Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee’s spot in the all-around final and a chance to defend her title. With many balance checks, she had a tense beginning to the beam competition. In second position after Biles, with a score of 56.132, Lee is just 0.067 points ahead of Jordan Chiles. On beam (14.033) and uneven bars (14.866), Lee is currently placed third. After Biles on the floor, Chiles trails (13.866).
After earning a meagre 10.633, Jade Carey, the Olympic floor champion from Tokyo, will be unable to retain her title. Carey performed a double tuck, but she seemed to lose her balance and made many odd mistakes. Her lone tuck resulted in her rolling onto her back and being out of bounds as well. Following his recovery, Carey finished second on the vault, slightly below Biles’ 15.300 average.
Thirteen-year-old Hezly Rivera, the youngest American participant in Paris, received scores of 13.900 on the uneven bars and 12.633 on the beam.
A French-born athlete representing her father’s Algeria, Kaylia Nemour performed one of the toughest routines ever attempted on uneven bars in the first rotation (7.1 D-score). Since he placed second in the event at the 2023 World Championships, Nemour is a strong contender for the individual gold medal. Currently leading the field on uneven bars (15.600), Nemour is third in the all-around (55.966) competition.
Currently placed second in the tournament with a score of 15,066, Qiu Qiyuan from China is perhaps Nemour’s biggest opponent.
Teams, all-arounders, and individual event finalist fields will be determined after the conclusion of the fifth subdivision.