PARIS — A calf injury isn’t going to slow down Simone Biles.
The American gymnastics star is in the lineup for all four events during Tuesday night’s Olympic team finals.
Biles tweaked her left calf while warming up for floor exercise during qualifying on Sunday. She retreated briefly to have the calf taped but then returned and posted the top scores on floor and vault on her way to topping the all-around.
Last week, U.S. team leaders had considered holding Biles out of the uneven bars in team finals to give her a small break during the Games. Instead, Biles will be part of every event during the finals, when three gymnasts compete and all three scores count. Her husband, Jonathan Owens, is expected to be there.
The Americans are heavily favored to win gold after finishing runner-up to Russia in Tokyo three years ago.
Biles will go last for the U.S. on three events — vault, floor exercise and balance beam — and will be up second on uneven bars.
Jordan Chiles, who finished fourth in the all-around during qualifying behind Biles, Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade and 2020 Olympic champion Sunisa Lee, will also compete on all four events.
Chiles, part of the silver medal-winning U.S. team three years ago, will lead off on vault, bars and balance beam and go second behind Lee on floor exercise.
Lee will be the third American on uneven bars, her signature event. She will be second on beam and first on floor exercise.
The only unexpected tweak to the lineup is on floor, where 2020 Olympic floor exercise champion Jade Carey will sit. Carey, who will vault, struggled on floor during qualifying and said afterward she is dealing with an illness.
Hezly Rivera, at 16 the youngest member of the five-woman team, is not scheduled to compete. Rivera was part of the lineup on bars and beam during qualifying, though her scores on each event were dropped from the team total.
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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
Simone Biles, the reigning Olympic all-around champion, has announced that she will be competing on all four events at the Olympic team finals despite suffering a calf injury during training. The news has sparked both concern and excitement among fans and fellow gymnasts alike.
Biles, who is widely considered to be the greatest gymnast of all time, injured her calf during a training session leading up to the team finals. Despite the setback, she has decided to push through the pain and compete on all four events – vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise – in order to help her team secure a spot on the podium.
This decision comes as no surprise to those who know Biles’ competitive spirit and determination. Throughout her career, she has faced numerous challenges and setbacks, but has always managed to overcome them with grace and resilience. Her ability to perform under pressure and deliver flawless routines has earned her the admiration of fans around the world.
Biles’ decision to compete on all four events at the team finals is a testament to her commitment to her team and her country. Despite the risk of aggravating her injury, she is willing to put it all on the line in order to help Team USA achieve success at the Olympics.
Many gymnastics experts believe that Biles’ presence on all four events will give Team USA a significant advantage over their competitors. Her unparalleled skills and consistency make her a valuable asset to the team, and her ability to perform under pressure could be the key to securing a gold medal for the United States.
However, there are also concerns about the potential impact of Biles’ injury on her performance. A calf injury can be extremely painful and debilitating, and could affect her ability to execute difficult skills with precision. It remains to be seen how the injury will affect her routines and whether she will be able to perform at her usual level of excellence.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding her injury, one thing is certain – Simone Biles is a force to be reckoned with on the gymnastics floor. Her determination, skill, and competitive spirit make her a formidable competitor, and fans can expect nothing less than a stellar performance from her at the Olympic team finals.
