Simone Biles dazzled in her eagerly anticipated Olympic comeback at the Paris Games on Sunday, receiving thunderous applause and cheers from a jubilant, celebrity-filled audience. Her stellar performance propelled the US gymnasts to the top of the women's qualifying standings. Following Biles' exceptional display, the US secured a substantial lead with 172.296 points, over five points ahead of Italy in second place. China, Japan, Britain, Romania, and the Netherlands completed the initial rankings, with five other teams yet to compete later on Sunday. The top eight teams will advance to the team final on Tuesday.
Biles, the most decorated gymnast globally, made her third Olympic appearance after unexpectedly withdrawing from the team final at the Tokyo Games due to the 'twisties,' a condition causing temporary spatial disorientation during complex maneuvers. She also skipped several individual events in Tokyo, sparking doubts about her future Olympic participation. However, after a two-year break and with the support of her team and a therapist, Biles triumphantly returned in Paris, performing before a star-studded crowd at the Bercy Arena that included Tom Cruise, Lady Gaga, and Snoop Dogg, solidifying her reputation as one of the greatest athletes ever.
The 27-year-old Biles demonstrated her readiness to claim more gold medals, leading the all-around competition with a provisional score of 59.566, over three points ahead of her closest rival, reigning Olympic champion Sunisa Lee. Biles started her routine on the balance beam, a challenging apparatus to begin with, earning 14.733 points, just 0.133 points shy of China's Zhou Yaqin. Dressed in a sparkling leotard adorned with thousands of Swarovski crystals, Biles appeared relieved and smiled as she glanced at the scoreboard after her impressive performance on the first of four apparatuses. She seemed less satisfied with her floor routine, which had minor errors but still secured her a leading score of 14.600. Biles, competing with her left ankle taped, quickly recovered her composure after the floor exercise, achieving a remarkable 15.300 on the vault.
Biles' double-piked Yurchenko vault is renowned for its high difficulty, with a start value significantly higher than any other female gymnast's vault at the Paris Games. British gymnast Ruby Evans commented, 'I think she just competes by herself. We've never had anyone like her before, and I don't think we ever will again.' On Sunday, Biles did not attempt the original skill on the uneven bars she had planned for ratification, but she will have another opportunity to try it during Tuesday's women's final. After executing her dismount flawlessly, Biles enthusiastically high-fived her coach Laurent Landi and rushed to the edge of the mat to wave and blow kisses to the ecstatic crowd. Her score of 14.433 temporarily placed her eighth in the standings, making it unlikely for her to qualify for the bars final as there were three more subdivisions to go in qualifying later on Sunday.
'Simone was outstanding,' said Chellsie Memmel, the US team's technical lead. 'That's how she trains. She comes into the gym and she does her job.' Biles re-aggravated a left calf injury during Sunday's competition, and Memmel noted it was too early to assess the injury's severity. Jordan Chiles of the United States also made a strong start in her second Olympics with consistent performances across all apparatuses. Lee, who won a bronze on the bars in Tokyo, posted the third-highest score on the apparatus after overcoming kidney disease, raising questions about her ability to compete again. Biles' teammate Jade Carey stumbled at the end of her floor exercise, a costly mistake that prevented her from defending her Olympic title on the apparatus in Paris. The arena filled with gasps and disbelief as Carey fell backward and sat down on the mat, resulting in a score of 10.633, placing her last among the 30 gymnasts who had competed on the floor so far.
'I haven't been feeling the best the past few days, but I gave it everything I had today,' Carey posted on X. 'Thank you for all the support I have received. I'm so grateful.' Only the top eight athletes, with a maximum of two per country, will progress to the apparatus finals. Biles and the US were not the only team seeking redemption in Paris. Romania, who won 10 consecutive women's Olympic team medals from 1976 to 2012 but failed to qualify for the last two Games, is counting on 17-year-old Sabrina Voinea to help break their streak. Italian hopes are also high after the team qualified ahead of China and Britain, despite not having won a team medal for almost a century, their sole medal being a silver in 1928 in Amsterdam.
