Sports
Simone Biles Shakes Off A Calf Injury To Dominate During Olympic Gymnastics Qualifying
PARIS — The similarities were startling. Perhaps apt for the birthplace of déjà vu.
Simone Biles sits off to the side at the Olympics. Marcia Faustin, the doctor for the USA Gymnastics team, stands at her side. They both had a worried expression on their faces.
Three years ago in Tokyo, the situation concluded with Biles withdrawing from numerous finals to ensure her safety, sparking an international debate about mental health.
Simone Biles Shakes Off A Calf Injury To Dominate During Olympic Gymnastics Qualifying
However, Biles is determined to create a new ending to the story in Paris. The 27-year-old American star was not coping with a block or trauma, but rather something considerably more normal among gymnasts, particularly those who had been doing this for two decades.
Biles and Faustin vanished for a short time, just as they had in Tokyo. Unlike Tokyo, Biles reappeared in a sweatsuit, with her left leg extensively wrapped after injuring her calf during her warmup for floor exercise. She spent the rest of the afternoon going around with a visible limp, except on the competition floor.
The woman who has repeatedly stated that this is not 2021 went out and proved it on Sunday inside star-studded Bercy Arena, shaking off what U.S. coach Cecile Landi described as a minor calf issue to post the top all-around score and put any lingering ghosts from Tokyo in the rearview mirror.
Biles finished with a score of 59.566, comfortably ahead of reigning Olympic champion and colleague Sunisa Lee, and saluted the crowd following her dismount on uneven bars, her final event. She bounced off the podium, danced with her good buddy Jordan Chiles, and has no intention of giving up her pursuit for gold in Tuesday’s team final and Thursday’s individual all-around.
“It was pretty amazing, 59.5,” Landi explained. “Not perfect so she can improve even (but) … just really good.”
Landi stated that the problem began a few weeks ago and was modest. There was no mention of Biles pulling out.
Instead, Landi and her husband, Laurent, who has long been Biles’ personal coach in Texas, encouraged her to take a deep breath and keep going while Laurent taped her leg tightly.
“We told her to remind herself, like she’s capable of doing it,” Landi recalls. “She understands she’s got it and it’s fine, and then she did. So excited for her.”
The problem barely slowed her down. Biles achieved the highest scores on the floor and vault following the injury, as she seeks to add to her seven Olympic medals.
The only event final Biles is unlikely to compete in is uneven bars, where she chose not to try a unique skill she submitted to the International Gymnastics Federation on Friday. She can still do it during the team final, which will allow it to be recorded in the sport’s Code of Points with her name attached.
However, after Biles finished her bars set, it appeared that she was not thinking about it. Instead, there was a mix of relief and a desire to savour the moment after her dismount at what could be the final competition of her legendary career.
The same could be said for her colleagues as the much favoured Americans ended at 172.296, more than five points ahead of second-place Italy (166.861) as they seek “redemption” after finishing second to Russia three years ago.
“They’re happy and relieved,” Landi remarked. “Day 1, now moving on to team finals, all-around finals, a couple event finals hopefully.”
Landi stated that Biles’ leg improved as she progressed through the events and that she anticipates her continued availability.
The reality is that the Americans do not need to rely on her as much as they did in previous Games, especially now that Russia is out of the picture owing to the conflict in Ukraine.
Biles, Lee, and Chiles finished 1-2-3 in the all-around during early qualifying, however Chiles will miss the final owing to rules that limit countries to two competitors each competition.
Chiles has a chance to make the floor exercise final if she finishes in the top eight. Lee is practically a sure for the beam and bars finals, with 2020 floor exercise champion Jade Carey in a strong position to join Biles in the vault final.
That is, of course, assuming Biles is healthy.
The injury brought drama to an event that has grown in popularity among athletes and celebrities alike.
The stands were crowded and full with stars. Tom Cruise posed for selfies while waiting for Biles to appear. Snoop Dogg sat in the front row, as did Ariana Grande, Jessica Chastain, John Legend, and Anna Wintour.
Simone Biles Shakes Off A Calf Injury To Dominate During Olympic Gymnastics Qualifying
Biles arrived in Paris as the face of the United States Olympic movement, and possibly the Olympics itself. The excitement around her return to the Games has been obvious, with NBC capitalising heavily on her star power by featuring Biles’ visage in numerous promotions leading up to Paris.
Her gravitational attraction is real. Athletes from all over the Olympic spectrum have stated that they want to see the most decorated gymnast of all time put on her own performance. Among them are LeBron James and the United States men’s basketball team, which had a hectic day Sunday with their Olympic debut.
Biles has spent the last 11 years mostly avoiding the physical setbacks that have ruined so many other athletes’ Olympic careers.
Not for Biles — not yet, anyway — as her chance of a golden send-off is still very much in the works, even if she has now take it one ginger step at a time.
SOURCE | AP
