Practice has to be perfect for Biles, others
Three-time world champion looks to secure her spot to Rio
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Spring’s Simone Biles is just one performance away from clinching a spot on the USAGymnastics women’s Olympic team, but that was the farthest thing from her mind Saturday.
The second and final performance of the twoday Olympic Trials isn’t until Sunday night at SAP Center, and Biles had to make it through at least two practice sessions Saturday and Sunday before she takes her final turn before another sellout crowd.
And in the mind of Martha Karolyi, USA Gymnastics’ outgoing national team coordinator, practice performances are as criti- cal in the Olympic selection process as competition itself.
“(Karolyi) always looks into our training,” Biles said. “It’s not only what we do here in competition, because if in training you can’t do your routines like she wants, then that’s kind of a problem.”
“In training, the pressure is always there so that we’re prepared for our meets. It’s stressful even in training sometimes.”
No worries for coach
That approach explains why Karolyi was not particularly dismayed that Biles had a brief wobble on balance beam or that 2012 Olympic all-around gold medalist Gabrielle Douglas fell from the beam Friday night.
Both, she said, had shown consistent form in practice. Karolyi wouldn’t say it, but both are proba- ble locks for the five-member team that will compete in Rio de Janeiro.
For Douglas, Karolyi said, “We’re talking about training a little more regimented, a little more precise, a little more aggressive.”
The top-ranked allarounder at the end of Sunday’s second competition automatically gains a spot on the team. The rest will be selected at the end of the competition Sunday night by a three-person committee headed by Karolyi.
Biles, 19, the three-time defending world champion, holds a one-point lead over Lauren Hernandez after Friday’s opening night. 2012 Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman is third, and Douglas’ fall on beam dropped her to seventh.
Presuming Biles, Hernandez, Raisman and Douglas are probable selections, the fifth spot probably will come down to Madison Kocian of Dallas or Ashton Locklear, who will contribute needed scoring on uneven bars and, to a lesser degree, balance beam. A battle for fifth
Kocian, who is competing in all four events, was sixth in the all-around with a top score of 15.7 on bars. Locklear, who is competing only bars and beam, also scored 15.7 on bars but fell on beam.
“My consistency has been great,” Kocian said. “They’ve been looking at competition and training, and I think I’ve shown good work and want to continue that.”
Several competitors, including Biles, said their rocky performances Friday were in part the result of the energy and excitement generated by the crowded arena, which Biles said surpassed even the atmosphere of the world championships.
All were hoping for more stable performances, and Douglas said she had extra motivation to improve.
“You look at the little girls in the stands … and you just say ‘I’m going to get back up and finish. I’m going to fight. I’m not going to give up,’ ” she said. “I have to be an example and a good representation for what it means to fall down. You get back up and finish strong.”
No time for breaks
That will be critical for all the competitors Sunday, from Biles and the two Olympic veterans through Hernandez, a first-year senior whose floor exercise captivated the crowd Friday, and gymnasts like MyKayla Skinner and Ragan Smith of Lewisville, who were fourth and fifth, respectfully, in the allaround and retain outside chances of making the team.
And even when it’s over, it isn’t over. Team members selected Sunday will go almost immediately into a nine-day training camp at the Karolyi Ranch in the Sam Houston National Forest between Huntsville and New Waverly before leaving in late July for Rio.