Simone Biles: How to watch the gymnast go for more history at the USA Gymnastics Championships

CNN
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[Breaking news update, published at 11:00 p.m. ET]

Simone Biles finished the opening day of competition at the USA Gymnastics Championships with a score of 59.3, 2.75 points off the field.

Shelley Jones is second and Sky Blakely is third.

[Original story, published at 10:28 a.m. ET]

Simone Biles is well known for making history. At 26 years old, she is already one of the greats in the sport.

Biles will have the opportunity to add to her extensive list of awards at the USA Gymnastics Championships in San Jose, California, over the next three days.

The 26-year-old could become the only gymnast — man or woman — to win eight American all-around titles. Her seven titles are associated with Alfred Jochim.

Biles returned to action earlier this month after a nearly two-year hiatus, winning the Core Hydration Classic in triumph.

Biles will take to the floor on Friday on balance beam and floor exercise before taking on the vault and uneven bars on Sunday.

Day 1 of the Senior Ladies competition starts at 5pm PT (8pm ET/1am UK) on Friday, and day 2 of the event starts at 3.30pm PT (6.30pm ET/11.30pm UK). United) on Sunday.

USA Gymnastics coverage will be broadcast nationally on NBC and Peacock while international viewers can catch the event on USA Gymnastics. YouTube channel.

Biles’ return to competitive gymnastics at the Core Hydration Classic was the seven-time Olympic medalist’s first since withdrawing from several events at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

She withdrew from the women’s team final after suffering what are known as “twists” – a mental block that causes gymnasts to lose control of their positions in midair.

Biles chose not to compete in four individual finals at the Tokyo Olympics, but returned to compete on balance beam, winning the bronze medal after using a modified descent method in her routine.

When asked why she decided to come back, Biles replied, “I always knew just about everything that happened in Tokyo. So this time, I’m doing it for me. I’ve worked a lot on myself, I believe in myself a little bit more, and I just came back here and started.” First steps again.

The Core Hydration Classic was the athletes’ last chance to qualify for the National Championships. The Gymnastics World Championships are then scheduled to take place from September 30 to October 8 in Antwerp, Belgium.

Biles is the most decorated gymnast in US history, winning 32 medals at the Olympic Games and World Championships.

Among her medals are four Olympic golds and 19 World Championship golds – the most by any gymnast in history.

Biles’ experiences made her become a famous advocate for mental health.

Even in the months after the Olympics, she said she was still “afraid to do gymnastics”, but recently she said on her website: Instagram It’s “twisting again. No thanks for duty. All’s well.”