Simone Biles reaffirmed her status as the queen of gymnastics by clinching the all-around title at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships on Sunday night. With a total score of 119.750 (60.450 on Day 1 and 59.300 on Day 2), Biles not only secured the top spot but also swept every individual event title, underscoring her dominance in the sport.
The 27-year-old’s performance over two nights was nearly flawless, with her only significant mistake being an over-rotation on her Yurchenko double pike vault, causing her to land on her back. Despite the fall, the difficulty of the vault and her otherwise impeccable execution earned her a score of 15.000.
Biles started the competition on the balance beam, delivering a solid routine that earned her a 14.800. She followed this with an electrifying performance on the floor exercise, scoring a 15.100. Although she over-rotated on her triple-twisting double back and went out of bounds, she incurred only minor deductions on her other complex tumbling passes. She concluded her all-around performance on the uneven bars with a speedy and precise routine, scoring 14.400.
In a heartwarming moment, Biles offered support to fellow Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee after Lee had a mishap on vault. Lee, who had completed a double-twisting vault on Friday, struggled on Sunday when her hand slipped, leading to an incomplete vault. She managed 1 1/2 twists but landed poorly, reminiscent of Biles’ own struggles with the twisties during the Tokyo Olympics. Lee wasn’t injured but needed to step off the floor to regain her composure. Biles, understanding the situation from her own experiences, offered encouragement and support.
Lee asked Biles to stand by the uneven bars during her next routine, where she scored a solid 14.500, showcasing a routine that will be further refined for the Olympic Trials. Lee finished fourth in her first all-around competition since 2021 and credited Biles for helping her stay grounded after the vault fall.
Skye Blakely maintained her second-place position with another strong performance, highlighted by a 14.450 on bars. The 19-year-old, who has faced consistency issues in international competitions, showcased an upgraded vault and delivered eight solid routines over the two nights, bolstering her case for making the Paris Olympic team.
Tokyo silver medalist Jordan Chiles climbed to fifth in the all-around standings with a standout 14.100 floor routine, while 2020 floor Olympic gold medalist Jade Carey finished seventh. Both gymnasts recorded falls on beam, a common issue on Sunday as several competitors, including Paris contender Leanne Wong, struggled with the four-inch apparatus.
Sixteen gymnasts earned invitations to the Olympic Trials, set for June 27-30 in Minneapolis, where they will vie for spots on the five-person squad heading to Paris. The 24-year-old, who had to relearn how to walk after the injury, is on track to make his second Olympic team. Michigan’s Frederick Richards and Stanford’s Kohi Young, both 2023 World Championship medalists, finished second and third, respectively, in the men’s all-around.
As the U.S. Gymnastics Championships concluded, the spotlight shone brightly on Simone Biles, whose triumphant return and exceptional performances continue to inspire the gymnastics community and beyond.
, Biles not only secured the top spot but also swept every individual event title, underscoring her dominance in the sport.){kind=link}