Simone Biles Will Lead U.S. Gymnasts in Tokyo

If the United States Olympic gymnastics trials proved anything, it was that the arena ceiling at the Tokyo Games had better be high. There will be fast-flying flips and tornado-like twists that will need as much air as they can get.

Gymnasts will unleash their most daring routines in an attempt to win a gold medal, and the margin for error will be narrow — even narrower than the 4-inch balance beam that many gymnasts already find precarious. One slip. One extra step on a landing. One fall. Seemingly tiny mistakes could mean the difference between making it to a final, or winning a medal, in every one of the events.

Of course, Simone Biles has a much bigger cushion. Her routines are so complex and challenging that she can win even with big mistakes. She is the world’s most decorated gymnast, with four Olympic golds already and 25 world championship medals, and it’s a safe bet she’ll need to make room for more. At 24, she could walk away from the Tokyo Games, likely her last big event before retiring at the top of her sport, with five more gold medals.

The ultimate mic drop.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/03/sports/olympics/simone-biles-gymnastics-trials-images.html