Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, and Jade Carey return to the Olympics with a single objective in mind following their underwhelming and occasionally stunning performance in Tokyo three years prior.
“We’re here for redemption,” Chiles declared upon being selected for her second Olympic team in a row.
Along with rookie Hezly Rivera, the Olympic veterans won the Sunday gymnastics trials, guaranteeing a spot on the American team for the Paris Games. Less than four weeks ago, the New Jersey native turned sixteen. She beat out Joscelyn Roberson, who is eighteen, for the last place. As backups, Roberson and Leanne Wong will go to Paris with the team.
The squad will aim to capture the third gold medal for the United States in the previous four Olympic Games. The sole setback in an unbroken run of success that encompasses every world team championship since 2011 came from its silver medal performance in Tokyo. More people associate it with Biles’ withdrawal from the team final.
The crew was in a panic when the seven-time Olympian withdrew from the competition, citing her mental health. She doubted that she would ever be able to perform gymnastics. Biles, who is 27 years old and competing in her third Olympics, dominated the trials by winning the all-around by more than five points ahead of Lee, who came in second.
Since coming back to the sport in 2023, Biles has been all but unstoppable. Every time she performs an amazing Yurchenko double pike vault, she demonstrates that she is not only back but also better than before.
She doesn’t want to struggle for recognition or to win people over, though. All Biles and her teammates want is to be made right.
Biles remarked, “I know we’re stronger for us than what we showed in Tokyo.” “I believe that it must be for us, as it cannot be for anyone else, as that would contradict our motivation.” We participate because we enjoy the sport, ourselves, and representing the United States. Thus, we’re going to venture forth and carry out our best.
The United States was forced to settle for second place after Biles’ elimination from the Tokyo team finals. It was the first Olympics when the United States had not won team gold since 2008. Every gymnast is still thinking about the specific mistakes they made during those Games.
Chiles fell twice on the beam and had a significant form break on the bars during team qualifying. She performed flawlessly in all of her routines when she entered the Biles team final, but she was the only female American gymnast to depart Tokyo without taking home a medal.
Carey only qualified as an event specialist, so she didn’t compete as a member of the team. The Oregon State standout won gold on the floor, but she faltered on the vault, finishing last after failing at her first try.
As the defending all-around champion, Lee was favored to win two gold medals individually, but she had a big wobble on the bars and had to settle for silver on the beam. While winning the beam competition was her personal objective, her first aim was making sure the team took home the gold.
“We’re so much more grown up and mature this time around, knowing what we can and cannot do and also just making sure we’re taking our bodies and our mental health first,” Lee remarked.
Lee faced a difficult health journey on her way to her second Olympics. The two renal ailments that the former Auburn standout battled are now in remission. Her body would bloat with water, causing her weight to fluctuate wildly while she looked for the right treatment. Lee struggled with her health and took her time to prepare for the Olympics, delaying her all-around competition until the U.S. championships in early June. She acknowledges that she is still developing her gymnastic confidence.
Lee had to deal with another mental challenge following her fall on Sunday during her beam routine. She marched straight to the tunnel, taking a few minutes to gather herself. She told teammates that she was not well. In response, they assisted her in refocusing. Lee recovered with strong vault and floor workouts.
Biles has elevated mental health to the forefront of her career, citing her weekly therapy sessions as the key to her success. As she spoke in front of a crowded press conference during the trials, Biles stated she had no idea she would return to the Olympics after Tokyo. She believed she would never again twist.
In front of a packed Target Center on Sunday, she performed a bewildering triple-twisting, double-flipping talent that earned her a standing ovation following her last position. Finally, Biles could breathe easy after pulling off one last flawless routine. With a sigh, she took a seat on the floor platform at the top of the steps.
