Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles won her ninth U.S. title on Sunday, and there was no doubt that the 27-year-old was as good as ever after more than a decade in the sport.
Biles’ two-day all-around score of 119.750 was nearly six points better than runner-up Skye Blakely, and she certainly looks ready to add a second all-around Olympic medal to her 2016 gold medal. gold medal.
In front of an audience that included her husband, Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens, Biles performed four rounds that displayed all the hallmarks of a typical Biles performance. Eye-popping athleticism mixed with precision and more than just swagger.
Biles earned top two-day scores in all four events — something she had only done once before at nationals (2018) — setting up for the Olympics in Minneapolis later this month. The trials have built up enough momentum.
Her only mistake on Sunday came on the vault. During the warm-up, she performed poorly on the Yurchenko Double Spear (two backflips with hands on her knees) and overcompensated at a critical moment, generating too much force, causing her to fall onto her back. Her efforts still earned her 15,000 points, proving that the vault had never been attempted by another woman in competition, only a select group of men.
But that doesn’t bother her. Biles composed herself, took a few deep breaths, and then jumped on the vault, scoring 15.1 points to put a ninth national title within reach, considering no other gymnast in the history of U.S. gymnastics has achieved such a high score. , this is an exciting field.
While Biles remains above the competition as usual, competition is also fierce for the other four spots on the five-women U.S. team, which finished second behind Russia in three games in Tokyo. , will head to Paris as a favorite to return to the podium.
The 19-year-old Blakeley once again put in an impressive performance and will head to Minneapolis with plenty of motivation. Blakely was at her peak three years after competing in the 2020 Olympics due to injury.
2020 Olympic champion Suni Lee, who has been battling kidney issues that have limited her training for more than a year, shook off an early mistake on the vault to finish on the uneven bars and balance beam A graceful move that few people in the world (even Biles) can match.
Olympians Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey are also among them, although both fell on Sunday. A third competitor, Kayla DiCello, slipped on the uneven bars. Leanne Wong, who may have looked tired after a long season at Florida State, also suffered uncharacteristic turnovers.
Shilese Jones, considered the best all-around gymnast in the United States (not named Biles), withdrew from the championships on Friday, citing a shoulder injury, although she said Sunday she was feeling better and Plan to participate in tryouts. The same goes for 18-year-old Kaliya Lincoln, who opted not to play Sunday after making some adjustments in Friday night’s opening ceremony.
Both men – if healthy – will be strong contenders for an invitation to Paris (particularly Jones). If they don’t, the door could open to someone else and test the depth of the senior elite program that’s been touted for years.
