Simone Biles isn’t one to shy away from a challenge, especially when an Olympic gold medal is at stake. The legendary gymnast will take on all four events in the women’s gymnastics team finals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, opting to push through despite tweaking her left calf during the qualifying rounds.
Biles will be the anchor for the U.S. women’s gymnastics team on vault, balance beam, and floor exercise, while going second-to-last on the uneven bars. Joining her in this rigorous competition is Jordan Chiles, who will also perform on all four apparatuses. Chiles, edged out of the all-around final due to the two-per-country rule, will lead off on vault, bars, and balance beam, and go second on floor exercise.
Suni Lee, the reigning Olympic champion, will anchor the Americans on the uneven bars, her specialty, and will also compete on the balance beam and floor exercise. Jade Carey will showcase her skills on the vault. Hezly Rivera, the only newcomer on the team, will sit out the event finals.
Despite being visibly limping between events on Sunday due to a calf injury, Biles posted a photo from Monday’s practice, indicating her readiness to compete. Her mother, Nellie Biles, assured fans on NBC’s TODAY show that Simone was doing fine. Chellsie Memmel, the technical lead for the U.S. women’s team, emphasized that the decision on how many events Biles would participate in for the team finals was left to her discretion. USA Gymnastics aims to balance Biles’ packed schedule—she has qualified for four individual finals, including the all-around—with not overburdening her.
Biles has spoken candidly about the pressures she faced during the Tokyo Olympics, where she was told she was the team’s “gold-medal token,” contributing to her anxiety. This pressure culminated in her withdrawal from the team final after one event due to “the twisties,” a condition that causes gymnasts to lose their spatial awareness mid-air. Memmel stressed the importance of supporting Biles’ well-being, stating, “If not doing all four events is what she needs to continue to be at her best for the team and for herself, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Nevertheless, Biles is determined to redeem herself in Paris. Despite tweaking her calf during warmups on the floor exercise, she powered through the qualifying rounds. After briefly leaving the floor to have her ankle taped, she delivered an outstanding performance, including her signature Yurchenko double pike, and concluded with a solid routine on the uneven bars.
The U.S. women’s gymnastics team is poised for a strong showing in Paris, with Biles leading the charge, showcasing her resilience and unparalleled talent on the world stage.
