‘Dominant’ Simone Biles gives fans an injury scare after tweaking her leg during Olympics qualifier

U.S. gymnast Simone Biles led her group of qualifiers on Sunday, even though she had her left ankle taped up after complaining of discomfort.

‘Dominant’ Simone Biles gives fans an injury scare after tweaking her leg during Olympics qualifier

8 high-flying Simone Biles shakes off injury jumpscare at Paris 2024 Olympics (Source: IMAGO/X)

During the women’s gymnastics qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympics, Simone Biles seemingly dealt with an injury scare! But the US gymnast led her qualification group on Sunday to a successful run and informed that she’ll be okay. She had her left ankle under tape after complaining of discomfort.

Biles started her third run at the Paris Olympics campaign with a spectacular balance beam routine (at 3:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, July 28). Chants of “U-S-A” rung through when the women’s qualifiers began before a star-studded audience at the Bercy Arena. Per USA TODAY Sports’ Tom Schad and coach Cecile Landi, she dealt some injury on the beam routine. But she crushed every maneuver on the narrow beam.

YouTube video

Biles, 27, appeared to pull her left calf as she warmed up for her second piece of apparatus, the floor exercise. The scene went wild as NBC, ESPN SportsCenter (@SportsCenter / X) and USAToday Sports broadcast the scene. But that didn’t stop her from performing her signature Yurchenko two-pike vault, – aka “Biles II”. She had yet another wobble landing her second vault, but managed just fine; even got an ovation.

FS Video

After a prime case of “the twisties”, at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, it was all eyes on the artistic gymnast and superstar. She was not one to give in and held her to her resolve to get back to her roots and love for the grind. Simone Biles proved she still got it, as she earned a 9.4 for execution for a total of 15.800 points even with a big step backwards. Biles now leads the all-around standings with 59.566 points after 2/5 qualifying rounds.

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Don’t get it ‘Twisties ‘ twisted: Case for injury concern?

Simone Biles suffering a left calf injury had all and sundry in a frenzy at the the Paris 2024 Olympics qualifiers. Moments before a near-perfect dominance, she seemed wobbly. After a warm-up tumbling on the floor exercise, she left the floor with Team USA’s Dr. Marcia Faustin. Only to reappear with a wrapped ankle.

Can Simone Biles stride on despite injury scare?
Can Simone Biles stride on despite an injury scare? (Source: nytimes.com)

A floor routine with 14.600 on the digits is sure to put her into the floor finals bracket. She also powered through with an astounding 15.300 on vault; also No. 1 in the competition at the time. Biles’ 59.566 all-around score led the field after two subdivisions. Next up is Tuesday night, when the Americans go for gold in the team final.

Biles is expected to anchor the event, perhaps all four events. What’s the bar of concern is that it’s huge if the injury keeps up. The Spring, TX. native won four gold medals in a dazzling Rio 2016 campaign. But much ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics, she withdrew from multiple events at the Tokyo Games, battling the disorientating ‘Twisties’.

Although she still snagged a silver and bronze, peers kept an eye out for a comeback. Even the ’24 redeem qualifiers seemed a big step forward. U.S. Women’s Team’s technical leader Chellsie Memmel had kept the safety net open for her to opt out, but Biles has always been resilient. After a two-year break, she made a triumphant comeback last year. She won four world titles. As such, with her advancement to the all-around final, people await her quest for more medals.

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