Biles battles through pain on spectacular Olympic return with top score in qualifying

As Simone Biles gave herself a few last quiet words of encouragement on the balance beam before returning to compete for the world once more, the spectacle could have been so overwhelming. Bercy Arena exploded with excitement whenever her name was called. Countless celebrities, from Tom Cruise to Ariana Grande, stood in the stands and flashed on the screens. All eyes were on Biles, and she knew it.

The competition draw Biles and her U.S. teammates received wasn’t helpful either. They had to start on the balance beam, the most unpredictable apparatus and the event that exposes all the tension and uncertainty. If you don’t control your nerves, you fall.

But Biles effortlessly powered through a smooth, efficient opening beam routine without a hint of uncertainty. That would set the tone for a dramatic return to Olympic competition, as she qualified for the all-around final in first place with a score of 59.566. Biles’ score is the highest international all-around score of the Olympic cycle and she leads Rebeca Andrade on 1.866 after the Brazilian qualified second with a personal best of 57.7.

Biles is chasing five medals after qualifying first on the vault, second on the balance beam and first on the floor, and the U.S. team also finished first in qualifying. On the uneven bars, Biles is ranked ninth as the first reserve in case of injury to a qualifying gymnast. Andrade, Biles’ biggest rival, finished one spot behind Biles in every individual category.

Despite her excellent performance, Biles ended her first day of competition with concerns about a calf injury she sustained after looking uncomfortable during her time on the competition floor. Cécile Canqueteau-Landi, Biles’ coach, said she had “just something in her calf,” pain she had felt a few weeks ago before it flared up again during the competition. Asked if there were any concerns about her not competing, Landi said, “Never in her mind, no.”

Throughout the division, the second of five, there were numerous potential obstacles for the U.S. team. Just before Biles began her floor routine, Jade Carey, the reigning Olympic champion, performed a toned-down routine and then bailed out of her final tumbling pass. Biles was ordered to immediately follow her teammate, but calmly produced a brilliant floor routine.

Though Biles had removed her triple-twisting double back salto – the Biles II – from her routine last year, she landed it comfortably and even slightly mastered the skill, smiling as she took a small step out of bounds. Though she still has room to improve, Biles’ floor exercise score of 14.6 has only been matched internationally by Andrade this Olympic cycle.

Things can get out of hand so quickly in gymnastics, especially when injuries are involved, and there was immediate cause for concern as Biles warmed up for the vault. After one attempt, she crawled and then limped back to the start of the vault. A moment later, she attempted her Yurchenko double pike jump – the Biles II – but landed too short and fell to her knees.

Although she was clearly in pain, with her ankle and calf heavily taped, Biles still seemed in good spirits as she smiled, chatted with her teammates, and reassured everyone that she was okay. Then she sprinted down the runway and delivered a stunning Yurchenko double pike jump, her first time doing it in an Olympic competition. Biles’ second jump, the Cheng, was big, and she finished with a ^­average jump score of 15.3. No woman has averaged more than 15 points during this Olympic cycle.

After completing a calm and easy routine on the uneven bars, Biles finally faced her audience of 20,000 and waved with laughter to both sides of the stadium as her redemption tour began with a spectacular performance.

Three other members of the U.S. Tokyo 2020 team competed with Biles on Sunday: Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey, each gymnast on their own race for redemption after winning silver medals three years ago. The presence of Lee, the Tokyo 2020 women’s all-around champion, is particularly notable. Now 21, Lee has struggled since trying to compete as a collegiate gymnast and then being diagnosed with serious kidney disease last year.

It seemed unlikely that she would even qualify for Paris, but Lee recovered just in time and qualified for the all-around final in third place with a score of 56.132. Lee can also compete for medals on the uneven bars and balance beam. With Chiles finishing fourth, just .067 behind Lee, only two gymnasts per country can compete in the all-around final.

The first division saw another special return. Over the past three years, Becky Downie of Great Britain has had to deal with the tragic sudden death of her younger brother the day before the Olympic trials in Tokyo, the backlash she and her sister received after blowing the whistle on abuse in gymnastics, numerous serious injuries and not being selected for the last Games. Still, she remained determined to see if she could achieve her goal of becoming an Olympic medallist.

Early Sunday morning, Downie stepped forward and nailed her incredibly difficult beam routine with a score of 14.666. As the 32-year-old finished her routine, Downie couldn’t hold back tears of relief and joy. After a long day of waiting, Downie qualified for the uneven bars final in seventh place, and Great Britain also qualified for the all-around final in seventh place.