Simone Biles won her record-extending ninth all-around title for USA Gymnastics on Sunday, showing she is a contender in the sport as the Paris Olympics looms, even as some mistakes before the U.S. Trials left her with some room to improve.
“I'm just here today, feeling more comfortable with my gymnastics, feeling more confident and hoping to advance to the Olympic Trials and take that next step towards Paris,” Biles told NBC after earning 59.300 points on the second day of competition for a total of 119.750 points.
She finished nearly six points ahead of second-place Skye Blakely with 113.850 points, while Kayla DiCello took the bronze medal with 110.800 points.
The top two finishers will advance to the Olympic Trials in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from June 27-30, where at least 12 athletes will compete for the final spot in Paris.
Biles broke the 60-point mark on the first day of competition on Friday and, although she fell short, still won gold medals in all four events.
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“I couldn't be more proud of what I'm doing at this time of the year, just building my confidence time and time again, getting in front of a crowd and continuing to play the way I practice,” Biles said.
The sheer power that has helped Biles win four Olympic gold medals and master a host of impressive signature moves was apparent even in her few mistakes.
She stepped outside the ring after a triple-twisting double somersault on floor exercise, then slid backwards and hit her back on the ground when landing a Yurchenko double pike vault.
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The vault was so difficult that she only earned 15.00 points, down from the 15.800 she earned on Friday.
Biles said she has no problem taking such mistakes in stride.
“It's not new to me,” she says. “I'm a little older now, so even if I feel like something isn't going my way, I know exactly how to reboot and pick myself up to move on to the next event.”
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Among those chasing a ticket to Paris later this month, Blakely was in impressive form over two days, while Tokyo Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee finished an impressive fourth as she continues her comeback from a career-threatening kidney condition.
Shortly after the competition concluded, USA Gymnastics confirmed that it had accepted requests from gymnasts Lea Jones and Kalya Lincoln to compete at the trials despite injuries suffered this week.
Jones withdrew with a shoulder injury and Lincoln withdrew with an ankle injury after two apparatus on Friday.
