Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, will continue competing in the Paris Olympics with an injury after tweaking her leg while warming up for the Olympic gymnastics qualifiers on Sunday.
The injury caused her to visibly limp on her left leg throughout the day while walking around Paris’ Bercy Arena. Everywhere expect the competition floor, that is.
There, Biles pushed through the pain and dominated her competitors, posting an all-around score of 59.566, well above the next-closest competitor in second place. She did four routines on the injured leg, a floor performance, two vaults and an uneven bars routine.
Concerns that the injury might cause Biles to sit out some of the events in the gymnastics team finals on Tuesday were quickly quelled. On Monday, Biles was listed in the lineups for all four events.
How did the injury happen?
Biles’ injury occurred after she had already finished competing on the balance beam Sunday and was warming up for her floor routine. She tweaked her lower left leg while practicing a double layout half out, an acrobatic skill that was named the “Biles I” after her.
Biles ended up leaving the floor with Team USA doctor Marcia Faustin. The scene was eerily similar to what played out during the Tokyo Olympics, when Biles dropped out of the gymnastic team competition to protect her safety — sparking an international conversation around athletes’ mental health.
At the Tokyo Games, Biles returned to the arena wearing a sweatsuit, having bowed out of the competition. In Paris, it was a different story. This time around, she re-emerged still wearing her full Olympics kit, but with a heavily taped left leg.
U.S. coach Cecile Landi told reporters on Sunday that Biles’ injury is minor. The calf issues had begun a couple weeks prior but subsided in the training leading up to Paris, Landi said. Sunday’s warm-up appeared to aggravate the injury.
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As Biles continued competing on Sunday, her leg slowly improved, according to her coach.
“On bars, it started to feel better,” Landi said, referring to Biles’ last routine of the day. There was no discussion of sidelining Biles in future events.
“I can’t express it,” Landi said. “I’m really proud of her and what she’s been through and what she’s showing the world what she’s capable of doing.”
Team USA gymnasts didn’t speak to reporters after the day of qualifying, but one reporter asked Biles in the arena tunnel if she was all right after the injury.
“Yup, as good as I can be,” she yelled back, according to CNN’s Coy Wire. At that point of the day, however, Biles was still seen limping.
The injury added a dash of drama to an event that’s become a must-see for athletes and celebrities alike.
The stands of Bercy Arena were buzzing and filled with stars on Sunday. Tom Cruise posed for selfies while waiting for Biles to emerge. Snoop Dogg had front-row seats, and Ariana Grande, Jessica Chastain, John Legend and Anna Wintour were also on hand.
This isn’t the first time Biles has competed while injured.
The gymnast scored six medals at the 2018 world championships in Qatar while battling a kidney stone she nicknamed “the Doha pearl.” Biles spent some time in an emergency room before the meet.
— With files from The Associated Press