Simone Biles showed her incredible resilience and skill at the 2024 Olympic Games, overcoming a leg injury during warm-ups to secure first place in the gymnastics qualifying round.
The incident occurred while Biles was warming up for her floor exercise. She appeared to hurt her lower leg, leading to immediate concern. After a brief consultation with her coaches, she wrapped her ankle and lower leg with heavy athletic tape and returned to competition.
Despite the injury, Biles delivered exceptional performances, including a stellar 15.8 on the vault, the highest score of the competition. Her determination and skill helped the U.S. women’s gymnastics team secure a spot in the team all-around final on Tuesday, where they are favorites to win gold. Biles also remains a top contender for the individual all-around final set for Thursday.
Biles’s coach, Cecile Landi, minimized the injury’s severity, stating, “She felt a little something in her calf.” Landi reassured that there are no current concerns about Biles’s ability to compete in upcoming events.
During the floor exercise warm-up, Biles injured her leg after landing a pass and subsequently left the mat for a brief period. Upon returning with her ankle and lower calf heavily taped, she completed her remaining routines without hesitation. “Never in her mind” was there any doubt about continuing, Landi added.
The expectations for Biles and the U.S. women’s gymnastics team are exceptionally high at these Olympic Games in Paris. Biles, 27, has been in top form since her return to competition last year following a two-year hiatus. She is anticipated to win multiple individual gold medals alongside the team all-around gold for the U.S.
The injury raised concerns about her Olympic aspirations. “First and foremost, I just want to make sure she’s physically okay, and then we’re just going to go from there,” said women’s team technical lead Chellsie Memmel. “What she was able to do, with looking like she had some soreness or something in her lower leg, is remarkable.”
Landi disclosed that Biles had a minor calf issue earlier this month, which had subsided until it resurfaced briefly during the competition. “Just a little pain in her calf,” Landi noted.
The U.S. women’s team concluded the qualifying round in the top spot, with gymnasts Jordan Chiles and Sunisa Lee, the defending gold medalist in the individual all-around, finishing about 3.5 points behind Biles.
“Their goal, it’s very obvious, is to come home with a gold medal,” Memmel emphasized.
Throughout Sunday’s rounds, Biles often performed last, capturing the full attention of the 15,000-strong crowd, including celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Tom Cruise, and Anna Wintour, who had largely come to witness her performance.
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