Simone Biles has made history as the first U.S. woman to be selected for six World Championship squads.Photo:Ezra Shaw/Getty
Ezra Shaw/Getty
Simone Bileshas made history again!
Despite making uncharacteristic errors on all four events, Bilesended with 55.700 points. Reigning world silver medalist Shilese Jones came in second with 55.300, and Skye Blakely took third with 55.000. Team USA’s remaining five members will be announced after the second day of competition on Wednesday.
Simone Biles celebrated her achievement with a post on Instagram.Ezra Shaw/Getty; simonebiles/Instagram
Ezra Shaw/Getty; simonebiles/Instagram
Despite her triumph, Biles got off to a rocky start in Tuesday’s qualifying competition. She fell on the uneven bars — the first event — dropping her down to 10th place with a score of 12.850, according toUSA Today.
She rebounded in the second rotation, earning 14.050 on the beam, but struggled in the floor exercise, going out of bounds twice. Still, she managed to post the highest score of the event, 14.300. She ended the all-around with a 14.550 on vault, performing her signature Yurchenko double pike.
After the competition, Chellsie Memmel, technical lead for the women’s gymnastics program, acknowledged that Tuesday was not Biles' best showing. “She was like, `Yeah, I don’t know what happened,’ ” Memmel said of her conversation with Biles after the meet,USA Todayreported.
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“[I said], ‘Get it out here,’ ” Memmel added. “We’ll just turn the page. She knows it was not even close to her personal best but it’s okay right now.”
Simone Biles competes in the Core Hydration Classic on Aug. 5.Stacy Revere/Getty
Stacy Revere/Getty
Biles’ ticket to the upcoming World Championships comes after the athlete revealed she’s eyeing a return to the Olympics in 2024. While appearing on theTodayshow earlier this month, Biles admitted she has her sights set on Paris.
“Right now I would say that’s the path that I would love to go,” she said of competing in the upcoming Olympic games.
However, she noted that she’s taking things one step at a time as she eases back into competing after taking a two-year break from the sport. Biles admitted she’s being “a little bit more cautious” with her training.
“I think I have to take care of myself a little bit more and listen to my body and making sure I’m making time for the important things in my life, rather than before it was just like go, go, go and then making time after,” she explained.
“This time around, it’s being intentional, going to therapy, making sure everything is aligned so I can do the best in the gym and be like, a good wife, good daughter, good friend — all the good things.”
source: people.com
