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PARIS — On her first day of competition at the 2024 Olympic Games, the gymnast Simone Biles appeared to hurt her leg during a warm-up routine — an injury that caused concerns but ultimately did not keep her from completing her routines and finishing in first place.
After the competition, Biles' coach, Cecile Landi, downplayed the significance of the injury. "She felt a little something in her calf," Landi said.
Despite the injury, Biles posted high scores, including a competition-high 15.8 on the vault. Joined by strong performances from her teammates, it was enough to secure a spot for the U.S. women's gymnastics team in the team all-around final on Tuesday, in which the U.S. is a favorite to win gold. The individual all-around final is set for Thursday.
There are currently no concerns "at the moment" about Biles' ability to compete in those events, Landi said.
Biles appeared to hurt her leg during a warm-up for the floor exercise, her second apparatus of the night. After landing a pass, Biles walked gingerly off the mat where she consulted with her coaches then disappeared briefly from the floor. Afterward, she returned to have her ankle and lower calf wrapped with thick athletic tape.
Despite the injury, Biles went on to complete her remaining routines, scoring a high of 15.8 on the vault. "Never in her mind" was there a question of whether she would continue, Landi said.
Expectations for Biles and the rest of the U.S. women's gymnastics team are sky-high at this Olympic Games in Paris.
Biles, 27, has been performing at the highest level of her career since she returned to competition last year after a two-year hiatus. She is considered the favorite to win at least three individual gold medals, along with a team all-around gold for the U.S.
An injury could set those aspirations back. "First and foremost, I just want to make sure she's physically okay, and then we're just going to go from there," said women's team technical lead Chellsie Memmel. "What she was able to do, with looking like she had some soreness or something in her lower leg, is remarkable."
Biles had briefly experienced an issue with her calf earlier this month, Landi revealed. "After that, it stopped. Then a little bit again today," Landi said. "Just a little pain in her calf."
The U.S. women's team finished their round of qualifications with the top spot on the team rankings. Gymnasts Jordan Chiles and Sunisa Lee, the defending gold medalist in the individual all-around, both finished about 3.5 points behind Biles.
"Their goal, it's very obvious, is to come home with a gold medal," Memmel said.
In three of Sunday's rounds, Biles performed last. As a result, as her competitors rested, she drew the full attention of a crowd of about 15,000, many of whom — including celebrities Snoop Dogg, Tom Cruise and Anna Wintour — had come in large part to see her.
Copyright 2024 NPR
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