Biles takes gold at US Classic
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Simone Biles had a lot to feel good about, even with some rare missteps that were quickly forgotten in her latest climb atop another podium.
What mattered most to the world’s top gymnast was keeping things moving forward, which Biles did.
Biles won the U.S. Classic on Saturday night to maintain her six-year winning streak.
The four-time Olympic gold medalist and reigning world champion had an all-around score of 60.000, 2.100 points ahead of runner-up Riley McCusker. Grace McCallum was third at 57.700.
Biles, who has not lost since the 2013 U.S. Championships, surged from fifth following the first rotation on the uneven bars into first on the next. She posted the top scores in the vault and floor exercise, which generated the most curiosity for what she would add to her topflight exercise routine.
Biles didn’t disappoint, unleashing a high-speed punch layout front onto her second flip on her signature move known as “The Biles,” a double layout with a half turn. Momentum from the highenergy move sent her out of bounds, though it didn’t hurt her score in that segment or overall.
“I definitely wanted to stay in bounds for one routine,” said Biles, who smiled at the mistake before getting back at it. “But it’s more to work on. I overpowered it a little bit, but I’m kind of happy with it. I’d rather go over than under.
“At least I didn’t fly completely off of the floor.”
Biles also was third on the balance finishing second on the beam in the beam to Kara Eaker. first of just “I didn’t come in expecting two U.S. appearances anything, just to take it one skill at a time. this year; the It was great to start off second is next and hit a beam routine, month at the U.S. Nationals because that’s always a in Kansas City, Missouri. nerve-wracking event to start on, so I was glad I did
Her intense approach to what I did every day in the the floor exercise and elsewhere gym.” pleased co-coach Morgan Hurd, who won Laurent Landi and has the 2017 world championship him confident Biles can while Biles took grow even more.
off, won the parallel bars “We tried it, and hopefully we can try something over Sunisa Lee with McCusker else at the nationals,” Landi and McCallum tied said. “It’s mainly for me for third. McCallum was to see what she can do, to pleased on many levels, see if it’s something we coming in second to Biles can pushing or something on the floor exercise and to get away from. It was improving from seventh good.” at last year’s Classic to her
McCusker, one of Biles’ best finish at the event. teammates on the goldmedal “I’m really proud of winning U.S. squad myself,” McCallum said. at the world championships, “I’ve only been doing a full was just as happy floor routine for a couple with her second-place finish of weeks, so it was really that began with her nice to make it.”