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Paris Olympics 2024: Simone Biles Dominates Artistic Gymnastics Qualifications After Debacle in Tokyo
Simone Biles bounces back, dominating Artistic Gymnastics qualifications with a stellar performance after Tokyo's setbacks.
Simone Biles is back! Competing at the Paris Olympics women’s artistic gymnastics qualifiers, Biles ended with 59.566 points to clinch the top all-around spot. Well, when the US gymnastics queen withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics, a swarm of criticism gulped the champion gymnast. Biles was left bruised and battered with countless negative comments including the title of ‘Quitter of the Year’.
However, once Biles came back to her hometown in Houston, Texas, the then 24-year-old did not believe that there was much left in her career. As she mentioned in her latest Netflix documentary, Simone Biles Rising, the 2016 all-around champion was fearful even to go back to the gym.
With extensive support from her mother Nellie Biles, husband Jonathan Owens, and coaches Laurent and Cecile Landi, Simone Biles started to find her rhythm back. Biles went back to the basics to build her way up to the top again. And come the 2023 World Championships, it was Biles magic once again at Antwerp. Securing her sixth global title, Simone Biles marked her comeback to competitive gymnastics after 2 long years.
Since then, there has been no turning back. Biles led the way in the Core Hydration Classics and in the US Olympics trials to punch her way as number one in Paris. Cut to Paris 2024, Simone Biles is once again at the top.
Simone Biles dominates women’s artistic gymnastics qualifiers
The crowd inside the Bercy Arena was buzzing with excitement when Team USA made their way. This was the first time after the Tokyo debacle that Simone Biles will be competing in an Olympics. Naturally, there were skeptical faces as Biles prepared for her balance beam routine in the first rotation. And boy oh boy what a thundering opening Biles had!
Mesmerizing the crowd with her magical twists, Biles notched up a solid 14.733 on the beam. She followed it up with a 14.600 on the floor. However, the biggest surprise of the night came when Simone Biles nailed a picture-perfect Yurchenko double pike. While the scoreboard flashed 15.800, the title from the opening episode of her Netflix documentary seemed to echo in the foreground- ‘Write me down in history’.
At the end of the second subdivision, Simone Biles remained at the top spot with an all-around total of 59.566 points. Her exquisite performance also led Team USA to clinch the top spot as well with 172.296 points. Well, even after achieving so much in her career, Simone Biles has submitted yet another new element to be named after her.
Simone Biles looks to add Weiler Kip to her kitty
Simone Biles already has 5 elements named after her. But she is looking to extend her level of eliteness to new heights. Hence, on July 26, Biles submitted a brand new bar routine, the Weiler Kip with her own addition to it. For the uninitiated, the element is named after the Canadian gymnast, Wilhelm Weiler. It requires an athlete to circle the bar forward with a half turn and complete the routine of rising to a handstand.
Biles’ variation, however, was a little different. She performed a clear hip circle forward and instead of a half turn, Biles made a 1.5 turn. Thus, with Simone Biles owning the artistic gymnastics stage right from the word go, fans will be hoping to see more magical moments from the champion as the Olympics progresses.
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