In a display of tenacity and skill, Team USA surged to the top of the women’s gymnastics standings during the Olympic qualifications in Paris, led by the indomitable Simone Biles. The team, featuring two Olympic all-around champions for the first time in history, ended subdivision two with nearly a six-point lead over Italy, despite facing moments of doubt and uncertainty.
Simone Biles, the seven-time Olympic medalist who claimed the all-around gold in Rio, made a spectacular return to the Games with a stellar beam routine, scoring 14.733. However, her performance took a dramatic turn when she appeared to injure her lower leg while warming up for the floor exercise in rotation two. After a brief evaluation by medical staff, Biles resumed competition, noticeably favoring her left leg.
Despite this setback, Biles finished at the top of the leaderboard in the all-around with an impressive score of 59.566, the highest any gymnast has earned in this Olympic cycle. She also secured the No. 1 spot on vault (15.300) and floor (14.600), while currently holding second on beam (14.733) and eighth on uneven bars (14.433).
Biles’ coach, Cecile Landi, reassured fans that Biles felt a minor issue in her calf but never considered withdrawing from the competition. Landi added that Biles began to feel better as the meet progressed, with no concerns about her ability to compete throughout the remainder of the Games.
Biles’ teammates stepped up in response to her struggles. Defending Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee, despite a shaky start on beam with several balance checks, delivered an outstanding performance on uneven bars, securing her spot in the all-around final. Lee finished second behind Biles with a score of 56.132, just 0.067 ahead of Jordan Chiles. Lee also sits third on uneven bars (14.866) and beam (14.033), while Chiles holds second place on floor (13.866).
Tokyo Olympic floor champion Jade Carey had a challenging day, scoring only 10.633 on her floor routine after a series of mistakes, including a miscalculation that resulted in a single tuck instead of a double and an out-of-bounds landing. Despite this, Carey rebounded on vault, with an average score of 14.433, placing her second behind Biles.
The youngest member of Team USA, 16-year-old Hezly Rivera, contributed significantly with scores of 13.900 on uneven bars and 12.633 on beam.
Among the international competitors, Kaylia Nemour, representing Algeria, stood out with an incredibly difficult uneven bars routine (7.1 D-score), earning her the top spot on the event with a score of 15.600. Nemour, who won a silver medal on uneven bars at the 2023 World Championships, also sits third in the all-around (55.966).
China’s Qiu Qiyuan emerged as a strong contender, particularly on uneven bars, where she currently holds second place with a score of 15.066.
As the qualifications continue, the field for the team, all-around, and individual event finals will be finalized after the conclusion of the fifth subdivision. Team USA, bolstered by Biles’ resilience and the strong performances of her teammates, is well-positioned to defend their legacy in women’s gymnastics at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
