American gymnast Simone Biles appeared to injure her left leg during a warm-up on Sunday, but she completed the remaining events after wrapping her ankle with thick athletic tape.
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Loic Venance/AFP via Getty Images
PARIS — On her first day of competition at the 2024 Olympics, gymnast Simone Biles apparently injured her leg during a warm-up, an injury that raised concerns but ultimately didn’t stop her from completing her routines and finishing in first place.
After the competition, Biles’ coach, Cecile Landi, downplayed the injury. “She felt something in her calf,” Landi said.
Despite her injury, Biles posted high scores, including a 15.8 on vault, the best score of the competition. With strong performances from her teammates, that was enough to secure a spot for the U.S. women’s gymnastics team in the team all-around final on Tuesday, where the United States is the favorite to win gold. The individual all-around final is scheduled for Thursday.
There are currently no concerns “at this time” about Biles’ ability to participate in those events, Landi said.
Biles appeared to have injured her leg while warming up for the floor exercise, her second apparatus of the night. After successfully completing one pass, Biles gingerly left the mat, where she consulted with her coaches, then briefly disappeared from the floor. She then returned to have her ankle and lower calf taped with heavy-duty athletic tape.
Biles’ coach, Cecile Landi, downplayed the injury. “She felt something in her calf,” Landi said, speaking to reporters afterward.
Despite her injury, Biles managed to complete her remaining routines, scoring a 15.8 on vault. “She never thought about whether she would continue or not,” Landi said.
Simone Biles performed the floor exercise on Sunday with her ankle and calf bandaged.
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Expectations are high for Biles and the rest of the U.S. women’s gymnastics team at these Olympic Games in Paris.
Biles, 27, has reached the highest level of her career since returning to competition last year after a two-year hiatus. She is considered the favorite to win at least three individual gold medals, as well as a team all-around gold for the United States.
An injury could put a damper on those hopes. “First and foremost, I want to make sure she’s physically okay, and then we’ll go from there,” said Chellsie Memmel, the women’s team’s technical director. “What she was able to do, even though she looked like she had some pain or something in her lower leg, is remarkable.”
Biles briefly had a calf issue earlier this month, Landi revealed. “After that, it stopped. Then a little bit again today,” Landi said. “Just a little soreness in the calf.”
The U.S. women’s team finished its qualifying round in first place in the team standings. Gymnasts Jordan Chiles and Sunisa Lee, the reigning all-around gold medalist, both finished about 3.5 points behind Biles.
“Their goal, it’s very obvious, is to go home with a gold medal,” Memmel said.
In all three events on Sunday, Biles finished last. As a result, while her opponents rested, she commanded the full attention of a crowd of about 15,000, many of whom — including celebrities Snoop Dogg, Tom Cruise and Anna Wintour — had come largely to see her.
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