Simone Biles is back in action Sunday night at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships. Biles, 27, won the national all-around title last year and is a sure bet to make the Olympic team regardless of how she performs this weekend. The event holds more significance for women hoping to join it, including reigning Olympic gold medalists Suni Lee (all-around) and Jade Carey (floor exercise), among others.
Nancy Armor and Tom Schad of USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates, results and analysis throughout the competition. Follow.
Simone Biles leads with one rotation to go
FORT WORTH, Texas − What Simone Biles does is so difficult that her scores are always much higher than everyone else’s, even with one mistake.
Biles overcooked his Yurchenko double pike, also known as Biles II on vault, and rolled onto his back. She had missed them in warm-ups and was perhaps trying to make sure she didn’t when it counted.
Never mind. Biles scored a 15, more than half a point better than anyone else so far Sunday night. His second jump, a Cheng, was cleaner, with just a small step on the way down.
Biles has a considerable lead before the final rotation, on the uneven bars. −Nancy Armor
Suni Lee celebrates her 14.900 on the balance beam
FORT WORTH, Texas − Several accomplished veterans fell on beam tonight, including Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles and Leanne Wong. But Suni Lee did not join them.
Lee corrected some minor wobbles to significantly improve her beam score on the first night, putting together a mostly clean routine that had her pumping her fists in celebration. Her score of 14.900 was a tenth of a point higher than that of Simone Biles.
“I don’t want to overstate the magnitude of this beam routine,” NBC analyst John Roethlisberger said on-air, adding that consistency on bars and beam will be the most important key for Lee goes to Paris. − Tom Schad
Simone Biles goes out of bounds on the ground but still in control
FORT WORTH, Texas − Simone Biles isn’t perfect.
Biles took a small step out of bounds on his first somersault pass on the floor, a triple-twisting double somersault also known as Biles II. Still, this is only the third time she’s performed her floor routine in competition this year, and she looks more and more refined each time she does it. Her landings were cleaner and her smiles seemed to come more naturally as she performed her dance moves. When she walked into the corner, she looked directly at the camera and flashed a big smile.
Biles’ score was 15.1, just 0.1 lower than Friday night. The deduction for the exit during this first pass made the difference. Still, she has firm control and is two more routines away from her ninth U.S. title, which would extend her own record. −Nancy Armor
Shilese Jones misses nationals, but injury improves
FORT WORTH, Texas − Shilese Jones, who has typically been the second-best all-around player behind Simone Biles, is not competing this week due to a shoulder injury. But she was still there on Sunday to encourage everyone and said her shoulder was improving.
“There was some progress today,” Jones said in a television interview on NBC. “Woke up and feel a little better than I have this week. It’s been a little rough, but some progress today.”
When asked what it was like to compete at nationals from the stands, Jones said she was always nervous.
“I tremble for everyone,” she said. “I’m like, I know they get it, but the nerves are definitely still there.” − Tom Schad
Suni Lee looks relieved after scoring 14.500 on uneven bars
FORT WORTH, Texas − Suni Lee was practicing a handstand in the entrance of an arena tunnel until moments before her turn on the uneven bars, looking a little unsteady after her disappointing vault. Perhaps noticing this, Simone Biles came across the room to give Lee some words of encouragement. “You got this!” Biles shouted as Lee began his routine.
Lee then earned a score of 14.500 in what is one of her signature events, two-tenths higher than what she achieved Friday night. She looked visibly relieved after her run, smiling as she shared a hug with coach Jess Graba. − Tom Schad
Suni Lee Takes Substantial Deduction From Vault
FORT WORTH, Texas – Suni Lee’s evening got off to an inauspicious start. The reigning Olympic all-around champion appeared to slip on her vault then sat up during her landing, resulting in a substantial deduction.
Lee ultimately received a score of 12.150, almost two points lower than the 14.000 she received on the first night. She then briefly left the floor before returning with Simone Biles, who gave her a hug before returning to their separate devices. −Tom Schad
Simone Biles starts night 2 strong on beam
FORT WORTH, Texas − Gymnastics is hard. Not that you’d know it from watching Simone Biles.
Biles opened the second night of competition at the U.S. Championships on the balance beam Sunday night, and she performed one great skill after another. The beam is only 4 inches wide and 4 feet in the air, but Biles looked like he was standing on flat ground.
The only twist was a leap forward on his way down, but that hardly mattered. She earned a 14.8, the same score she received Friday night when she had the highest score of the competition in the event. –– Nancy Armor
NBC Viewers Won’t See Simone Biles’ First Rotation Live
FORT WORTH, Texas − Tonight’s competition airs live on Peacock and NBC…well, mostly anyway.
While the first rotation began at 6:45 p.m. ET, TV coverage wasn’t scheduled to begin until 15 minutes later, meaning American viewers didn’t get to see Simone Biles’ routine on the beam by the time she happened. They also missed the first performances of the evening from Suni Lee (vault), Jordan Chiles (beam) and Kayla DiCello (floor exercise), among others. − Tom Schad
When is Simone Biles competing in the US Gymnastics Championships?
Simone Biles will participate in Session 2. That means she and the other big names on the women’s side will be in action starting around 7 p.m. ET on Sunday. — Tom Schad
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Where are the 2024 US Gymnastics Championships taking place?
The U.S. Championships were held Thursday through Sunday at Dickies Arena, located a few miles west of downtown Fort Worth. — Tom Schad
Where to watch the US Gymnastics Championships
The second session of the senior women’s competition, which will feature Simone Biles, will benefit from the most prestigious television slot: a prime-time broadcast window on NBC on Sunday. — Tom Schad
American Gymnastics Championships TV schedule
Here are today’s coverage windows on NBC.
- Sunday June 2 – Senior Men Day 2 – NBC (Tape Delay) – 3 p.m.-4 p.m.
- Sunday, June 2 – Senior Women Session 2, Day 2 – NBC LIVE – 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
Will Gabby Douglas compete in 2024?
She competed this year. But the announcement of Gabby Douglas’ withdrawal was no surprise after Douglas’ tough outings in her first two competitions since the 2016 Rio Olympics. She fell twice on the uneven bars, her signature event, during of the American Classic on April 27. best in training before the US Classic on May 18, but was scratched after one event after falling twice again on bars. –– Nancy Armor
Kaliya Lincoln withdraws from second night of nationals
FORT WORTH, Texas − Kaliya Lincoln was eliminated from the second night of competition after leaving early Friday night. USA Gymnastics said in a social media post that it had already requested an invitation to the Olympic trials later this month.
Lincoln, 18, scored 12.700 on the uneven bars and 12.300 on the balance beam Friday before withdrawing. Her strongest event is the floor exercise, where she finished second to Simone Biles at last year’s national championships. − Tom Schad
What are the stakes of the American gymnastics championships
With this weekend’s event being the last before the U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials, it is an important showcase for anyone hoping to book a ticket to the 2024 Paris Games.
On the women’s side, the top two all-around finalists at the U.S. Championships will automatically earn a spot at the Olympic Trials, where they will be joined by a minimum of 10 other invited athletes at the discretion of USA Gymnastics. Of the 12 or more who participate in the Olympic trials, only five will make the U.S. team, not counting alternates. – Tom Schad
When are the US Olympic Gymnastics Trials?
June 27-30 in Minneapolis.
How Simone Biles behaved on the first night
Biles recorded her best all-around score to date this Olympic cycle: 60.450. This is the first time Biles has scored above 60 since 2021.
“That was one of her goals. Very happy with her routines, her attitude – everything was really good,” said Cécile Landi, who coaches Biles with her husband Laurent.
How to see live results from the US Gymnastics Championships
USA Gymnastics will provide live results from the women’s competition, including Biles’ pursuit of a ninth national all-around championship, on its website here. –– Tom Schad
Message from Gabby
FORT WORTH, Texas − Gabby Douglas encourages her potential competitors Sunday night.
The three-time Olympic gold medalist took to Instagram earlier today to thank her fans for their support during her comeback and send good vibes to the gymnasts at the U.S. Championships. Douglas had hoped to be among them, but she announced her withdrawal on Wednesday and said in her Instagram post that she had injured her foot during training.
“This may be the end of this chapter but not the end of my gymnastics story,” wrote Douglas, all-around champion at the 2012 Olympics in London. “Thank you all for being with me on this journey and lifting me up on my lowest days, I love you all so much!
“Sending all the best to the girls tonight!” still cheering for the United States! » –– Nancy Armor
Trinity Thomas scratches for the night 2
FORT WORTH, Texas − Trinity Thomas, who returned to elite-level gymnastics this year after her final season in Florida, scratched the final three events on the first night of competition Friday after crashing twice during a floor exercise. She warmed up on the uneven bars on Sunday, but did not compete.
Thomas was the NCAA all-around champion in 2002, the same year she won the first of back-to-back Honda Sports Awards as the nation’s top college gymnast. –– Nancy Armor
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