PARIS– PARIS (AP) — Simone Biles He left the track briefly and said he felt discomfort in his left leg, but continued his quest to return to the Olympic podium on Sunday.
The 27-year-old American and the five-woman U.S. gymnastics team took to the track at a packed, star-studded Bercy Arena during the second qualification subdivision for Paris Games on Sunday. The Americans are the favorites to win team gold after finishing runner-up to Russia three years ago in Tokyo.
Biles dazzled during her opening beam routine, then briefly left the court with U.S. team doctor Marcia Faustin. She returned a short time later and spent several minutes sitting watching her teammates.
Biles was heard on camera saying she felt something in her calf, but stepped onto the competition floor with her leg bandaged. She looked great when Taylor Swift’s “Ready for It” started playing and her routine – the hardest in the world – was solid. She cautiously got off the ground and sat to the side for a moment before receiving a hug from longtime coach Laurent Landi.
She received 14.600, guaranteeing her a spot in the event finals next week.
The stands were busy and full of celebrities. Tom Cruise posed for selfies while waiting for Biles to appear. Snoop Dogg had front row seats, and Ariana Grande, Jessica Chastain, John Legend and Anna Wintour were also in attendance.
Biles arrived in Paris as the face of the US Olympic movement and perhaps the Olympics themselves. The buzz surrounding her return to the Games has been palpable, with NBC leaning heavily on her star power by showing Biles’ face in numerous promos leading up to Paris.
Its gravitational pull is real. Athletes across the Olympic spectrum said they want to make a point of catching the most decorated gymnast of all time in what could be the final competition of her unparalleled career. Among them: LeBron James and the United States men’s basketball team, which was busy Sunday with the Olympic qualifiers.
Biles and teammates, starting on the balance beam, wore gray-blue uniforms with nearly 3,000 sequins sewn across the top. Jordan Chiles was first, throwing an emphatic punch after landing the dismount to end his routine.
___
This story originally appeared on ABCNews.go.com read the full story
