Simone Biles, the four-time Olympic gold medallist and reigning world champion, clinched her spot in her third Olympic Games by topping the all-around competition at the 2024 US Olympic Gymnastics Trials in Minneapolis on Sunday.
The 27-year-old Biles, who will be the fourth American woman gymnast to compete in three Olympics, achieved an overall score of 117.225.
Suni Lee followed with 111.675 and Jordan Chiles with 111.425.
Biles secured an automatic qualification for the team alongside Lee, Chiles, Jade Carey, and 16-year-old Hezly Rivera, with Joscelyn Roberson and Leanne Wong named as travelling replacements.
Biles started strong on the vault with a score of 15.500, showcasing her signature Yurchenko double pike. She continued with the uneven bars, scoring 14.200.
Despite a challenging performance on the beam, scoring 13.900, she finished impressively with a 14.725 on her floor routine, earning a standing ovation.
The Tokyo Games in 2021 saw Biles struggle with “the twisties,” a mental block affecting gymnasts’ body awareness, leading to her withdrawal from several events. After focusing on her mental health and returning to competitive gymnastics last year, Biles credited regular therapy sessions for her Olympic comeback. She expressed pride in being the oldest American woman gymnast since the 1950s to qualify for the Olympics and highlighted her role in mentoring younger gymnasts.
Biles, who won her ninth US Championships title earlier this year, entered the trials as the favorite and maintained her lead after the first day of competition.
In Paris, she is set to compete in the women’s team final on July 30, followed by the all-around final two days later.
The Olympics will be held from July 26 to August 11.
