Simone Biles books Paris Olympics berth with US gymnastics trials all-around win / Photo: JAMIE SQUIRE - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Simone Biles books Paris Olympics berth with US gymnastics trials all-around win
Four-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles is headed to the Paris Games with a resounding all-around victory at the US gymnastics trials on Sunday.
Biles capped her trials with another electrifying floor routine, her high-flying tumbling bringing the crowd to its feet.
She piled up 117.225 over two days of competition to earn an automatic berth on the five-strong team for Paris with the four women joining her to be determined by a selection committee.
Three years after a bout of the disorienting "twisties" cut short Biles's Tokyo Games campaign, the gymnast considered the best of all time will return to the Olympic stage looking stronger than ever.
"I knew I wasn't done after the performances in Tokyo," Biles said, adding that the key to her return was "Just getting back in the gym and then working hard and trusting the process."
Since returning to competition last August, she has captured world championships all-around gold and three weeks ago she grabbed her ninth national all-around title.
Biles launched her night with a soaring version of her Yurchenko double pike vault, and even though she skittered backwards a few steps on landing, her 15.50 points swelled her lead atop the all-around standings.
After a sub-par balance beam performance on day one left her clearly furious, Biles was rolling through an impressive routine when she lost her balance and fell off the beam -- still scoring an impressive 13.900.
Suni Lee, the Tokyo Olympics all-around gold medalist who is back as she manages not just one but two kidney diseases, finished second overall with 111.675 points.
Jordan Chiles, part of the silver medal-winning US team in Tokyo, was third on 111.425 and Jade Carey, who won floor gold in Tokyo, was fourth all-around on 111.350 points.
L.Rodriguez--RTC
