Gymnastics-Biles soars to victory at US trials to secure spot at third Games
July 1 (Reuters) -Four-times Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles booked her third straight appearance at the Games with her all-around victory at the U.S. Olympic team trials in Minneapolis on Sunday.
After taking the lead on Friday, Biles blew away the competition by putting up a two-day all-around total of 117.225, finishing more than five points ahead of the rest of the field.
Biles, who pulled out of multiple events at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 due to the "twisties," a temporary loss of spatial awareness in mid-air, will be joined in Paris by Sunisa Lee, Hezly Rivera, Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles.
"I knew I wasn't done after the performances in Tokyo," Biles, 27, told NBC.
"I just had to get back in the gym, work hard and trust the process, I knew I would be back."
Biles, who returned to competition last August after a two-year hiatus, showed that she still has some kinks to iron out. She lost her balance and hopped off the beam, while also slightly overdoing her Yurchenko double pike vault.
However, she ended the night on a high note, with her floor routine earning a 14.275 from the judges and being met with a standing ovation from the crowd at Target Center.
Reigning Olympic champion Lee, 21, finished second with a total of 111.675, while 2020 Olympic team silver medallist Chiles was third (111.425).
Lee, who has spoken about having to recover from two kidney diseases, was in tears after earning her spot on the US team.
"Well, I was just reminded of my goals every day and constantly surrounded by people who never let me give up," Lee told NBC.
"I'm so thankful because a year ago, I didn't even think this was... Yeah, I didn't think this was possible."
Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford
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