Biles dazzles in taking lead at Olympic trials
ST. LOUIS — Simone Biles is primed for Tokyo.
The world and Olympic gymnastics champion put on a dazzling display during the U.S. Olympic Trials on Friday, pulling out all the stops — well, almost all of them — on her way to a commanding lead and a spot in Japan next month.
Her all-around total of 60.565 included a 15.133 on beam that featured the “double-double” dismount named for her, a maneuver she’s kept under wraps since the 2019 world championships. She opted to skip the Yurchenko double-pike vault she unveiled in competition last month and still posted the top score on the event.
Her floor exercise — which includes not one but two eponymous elements in the sport’s Code of Points — was both spectacular and spectacularly controlled. Clearly frustrated after stepping out of bounds several times while winning her seventh national title earlier this month, Biles kept her toes well inside the white lines during her law-of-physics pushing tumbling passes.
“I was super excited going into this one,” Biles said. “I know exactly what to expect. And I feel like I’m very … like I’m a lot more emotional this time around, which is so crazy. Even walking out of the tearing up and crying. The girls are like, ‘Are you OK?’ I’m fine. It’s just like, I can’t believe the time is here. It’s been five years, and I’m grateful.”
The top two all-around finishers Sunday night after the finals automatically qualify for the Olympic team. Biles is a lock no matter what happens Sunday.
Sunisa Lee and Jordan Chiles are nearing that territory, too.
The trio of Biles, Lee and Chiles came in 1-2-3 at nationals. They’re in the same positions heading into the finals after Lee put up a 57.666, followed by Chiles at 57.132, more than a half-point ahead of Mykayla Skinner.