Simone Biles y EEUU se redimen con oro olímpico en la gimnasia

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PARIS — As Simone Biles approached the vault apparatus during the team all-around final at the Olympic Games, her teammate Jordan Chiles watched with keen attention.

In 2021, at the previous Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Biles faced an unexpected setback. Overwhelmed by immense pressure, she encountered the “twisties,” a mental block that rendered her incapable of executing her signature aerial maneuvers, despite her extensive experience.

This issue forced her to withdraw from the competition, leading to the U.S. team securing a silver medal. Subsequently, Biles took a two-year hiatus from gymnastics to focus on her mental well-being.

Simone Biles

Given this history, it would have been understandable if Tuesday’s event at Bercy Arena in Paris held some unease. However, Biles executed her vault flawlessly. When her feet touched the mat and she triumphantly raised her arms, her teammates erupted in celebration.

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Chiles exclaimed, “I was like, ‘Yo, hallelujah, no flashbacks!'” Her exuberance was palpable as Biles landed her routine. “It was like, ‘Okay, we’re about to really do this,'” she added, reaffirming Biles’ status as the greatest of all time.

The U.S. team went on to clinch the gold medal with a substantial 5.8-point lead over Italy, their nearest competitor.

Chellsie Memmel, the team’s technical lead and a former Olympian, remarked, “It speaks volumes of her resilience and ability to return, with the entire world watching. It cements her legacy as the greatest gymnast ever.”

Despite a minor misstep during the floor exercise, Biles finished as the night’s top scorer, competing in all four events: vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor. Her teammates Chiles, Suni Lee, and Jade Carey also contributed, while the fifth member, 16-year-old Hezly Rivera, did not participate in the final.

Reflecting on her performance, Biles admitted feeling relieved after the vault. This final felt markedly different from 2021; she felt “calm and ready,” aided by her morning therapy session, a practice she’s been open about as part of her mental health recovery.

“It’s been a roller coaster over the past three years, filled with highs and lows. Today was fantastic,” said Cecile Landi, Biles’ coach.

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Biles and her teammates had sought “redemption” for their disappointing Tokyo performance. “We all feel we have more to offer. Our performances in Tokyo weren’t our best,” Biles said after the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. “We felt a lot of pressure to prove we’re better athletes.”

Brazil claimed the bronze medal, with Rebeca Andrade expected to be a strong contender against Biles in the individual all-around event.

Concerns arose about Biles’ physical health after she tweaked her calf during the qualifying round. However, coaches downplayed the severity, and Biles performed as usual, with her left calf wrapped in athletic tape.

This gold medal marks Biles’ first of the 2024 Olympic Games, adding to her already impressive collection as the most decorated gymnast in history. It is her eighth Olympic medal and fifth gold, though Biles says she doesn’t keep track.

“I’m doing what I love and enjoying it. That’s all that matters to me,” she said. “I don’t think I’ll fully grasp the significance until I step away from the sport.”

Biles has the potential to win up to four more medals at this Olympics. She will compete in the individual all-around final on Thursday, with Andrade and fellow U.S. gymnast Lee, who won gold in Tokyo, as strong contenders. Biles also qualified for the vault, balance beam, and floor exercise finals.

The only noticeable error Biles made on Tuesday was running onto the arena floor too early during the team’s introduction, a light-hearted moment that captured the team’s relaxed and joyful spirit before their gold-medal performance.