Simone Biles shakes off calf injury to dominate Olympic gymnastics qualifying

Simone Biles of the United States prepares for a gymnastics workout at the Bercy Arena during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

PARIS (AP) — The similarities were striking. Perhaps fitting for the birthplace of déjà vu.

Simone Biles sits on the sidelines at the Olympics. USA Gymnastics team doctor Marcia Faustin stands next to her. Concerned looks on both faces.

Three years ago, the scene in Tokyo ended with Biles withdrawing from multiple exams to ensure her own safety, sparking an international conversation about mental health.

Still, Biles is determined to write a different ending to the Paris story. The 27-year-old American star suffered not from a block or trauma, but from something far more common among gymnasts, especially those who have been doing it for two decades.

As in Tokyo, Biles and Faustin disappeared for a while. Unlike Tokyo, Biles did not return in a tracksuit, but with her left leg heavily taped after twisting her calf during her warm-up on the floor exercise. She walked around with a noticeable limp for the rest of the afternoon, except on the competition floor.

The woman who keeps saying this isn’t 2021 proved it Sunday at the star-studded Bercy Arena, shaking off what American coach Cecile Landi described as a minor calf injury to take the all-around top score, banishing any remaining ghosts from Tokyo.

Biles finished on 59.566, well ahead of reigning Olympic champion and teammate Sunisa Lee, who saluted the crowd after her dismount on the uneven bars, her final event. She jumped off the podium, danced with good friend Jordan Chiles and has no plans to give up her quest for gold in Tuesday’s team final and Thursday’s individual all-around.

“It was pretty amazing, 59.5,” Landi said. “Not perfect, so she can still improve (but) … just really good.”

Landi said the issue surfaced a few weeks ago and she described it as minor. There was no mention of Biles backing out.

Instead, Landi and her husband Laurent, Biles’ longtime personal coach in Texas, encouraged her to take a breath and keep going as Laurent applied heavy amounts of tape to her leg.

“We told her to remind herself that she can do it,” Landi said. “She knows she can do it and it’s okay and then she did it. So, I’m really happy for her.”

The problem did little to slow her down. Biles earned top scores on floor and vault — both after the injury — as she tries to add to her career total of seven Olympic medals.

The only final Biles will likely miss is the uneven bars, where she opted not to attempt a unique skill she submitted to the International Gymnastics Federation on Friday. She can still opt to do it in the team finals, creating the opportunity to enter it into the sport’s Code of Points with her name attached.

Yet that seemed far from Biles’ thoughts as she wrapped up her bars set. Instead, there was a mixture of relief and the urge to soak up the moment after her dismount in what could be the final competition of her unparalleled career.

The same can be said of her teammates after the heavily favored Americans finished on 172.296, more than five points ahead of Italy (166.861) in two of the five subdivisions, as they seek what they call “redemption” after a second-place finish behind Russia three years ago.

“They’re happy and relieved,” Landi said. “Day 1, now onto team finals, all-around finals, hopefully a couple of event finals.”

Landi said Biles’ leg has improved as events progressed and she expects to be available in the future.

The reality is that the Americans – especially now that Russia is no longer participating because of the war in Ukraine – no longer have to rely on her as much as they did in previous Games.

Biles, Lee and Chiles finished 1-2-3 in the all-around during early qualifying, but Chiles will miss the all-around final due to rules limiting countries to entering two athletes per event.

There is a chance Chiles could reach the floor exercise final if she finishes in the top eight. Lee is all but assured of reaching the beam and bars finals, with 2020 floor exercise champion Jade Carey in good position to join Biles in the vault final.

That is, if Biles is healthy.

The injury added an extra dramatic note to an event that has become a must-see for athletes and celebrities alike.

The stands were filled with stars and buzzing. Tom Cruise posed for selfies as he waited for Biles to emerge. Snoop Dogg was in the front row, and Ariana Grande, Jessica Chastain, John Legend and Anna Wintour were also in attendance.

Biles arrived in Paris as the face of the American Olympic movement, and perhaps the Olympics themselves. The buzz surrounding her return to the Games was palpable, with NBC leaning heavily on her star power by splashing Biles’ face across numerous promotions in the lead-up to Paris.

Her appeal is real. Athletes from every Olympic sport have said they’ll make it a point to see the most decorated gymnast of all time perform a show that’s uniquely hers. Among them: LeBron James and the U.S. men’s basketball team, which was busy with its opening Olympic game on Sunday.

James and co. may have a shot at Biles later this week, if her calf cooperates. That’s not a given in a sport where the risk of injury is nearly 100%.

Biles has largely avoided the physical setbacks that have ended the Olympics for so many others over the past 11 years.

Not for Biles – not yet, anyway – as her chances of a golden farewell are still very high, even if she is now literally forced to take it step by step.

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