Simone Biles steps up Olympic preparation at Xfinity US Gymnastics Championships

By CNN Newsource

Published May 30, 2024 1:33 am

By George Ramsay, CNN

(CNN) — Simone Biles continues her journey to a third Olympic Games as she competes at this week’s Xfinity US Gymnastics Championships.

Biles, a seven-time Olympic medalist, is set to headline the event in Fort Worth, Texas, alongside fellow gold medal winner Suni Lee having won the all-around title at the Core Hydration Classic earlier this month.

She will be looking to claim a ninth victory at the national championships – the final event for US gymnasts before the Olympic Trials take place at the end of June.

As well as all-around Olympic gold medalist Lee, Biles will also be up against Jordan Chiles, a team silver medalist at the Tokyo Games three years ago, and reigning Olympic floor champion Jade Carey.

Three-time Olympic champion Gabby Douglas was due to compete but withdrew on Wednesday after suffering an ankle injury while training, ending her hopes of competing at this year’s Paris Olympics.

The women’s team to compete at the Olympics will be chosen after the trials, with the winner of the all-around competition automatically making the team, according to NBC.

How to watch

This week’s event begins with the junior and senior men’s competition on Thursday, May 30, before the women get underway at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday.

It concludes on Sunday when the women’s competition wraps up at 9 p.m. ET.

All podium training sessions will be available to watch on FlipNow.tv – USA Gymnastics’ streaming service – while Peacock, NBC and CNBC will broadcast the main sessions.

Viewers outside the US can also follow the event on the USA Gymnastics YouTube channel. More viewing details are available on the USA Gymnastics website.

Biles back to winning ways

The 27-year-old Biles returned to competitive gymnastics last year after she experienced the “twisties” – a mental block causing gymnasts to lose track of their body positions – at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, forcing her to withdraw from several events.

She subsequently took time away from the sport to prioritize her mental health but is now hoping to add to her legacy as the most decorated gymnast of all time at this year’s Olympics.

So far, Biles’ return has been a success, winning four gold medals and a silver at last year’s world championships.

In her first competition of 2024, she finished ahead of Shilese Jones and Chiles to win the all-around title at the Core Hydration Classic, leading scoring on floor and vault and placing second on the uneven bars and balance beam.

Lee, meanwhile, is on her own return path to the sport having been diagnosed with kidney disease. She took the balance beam title at the Core Hydration Classic with a score of 14.600.

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