Simone Biles appears ready for the 2024 Paris Olympics after delivering a stellar performance at the U.S. Classic. The gymnastics legend, often considered the greatest of all time, earned the highest overall score, showcasing her dominance with top scores in both the vault and floor exercises. Her floor routine began with Taylor Swift’s “…Ready For It?” and earned her an all-around score of 59.500, two points ahead of her closest competitor, Shilese Jones, who excelled on bars.
The U.S. Classic, held in Connecticut, is a crucial Olympic qualifying event. High scorers from this event will advance to the U.S. Nationals in Fort Worth, Texas, from May 30 to June 2. The U.S. Gymnastics Olympic Trials will follow on June 27, with the Paris Olympics set to begin on July 26.
Joining Biles as top contenders are Shilese Jones, 21, who secured second place and the highest score on bars, and Jordan Chiles, who won bronze at the U.S. Classic and competed in the Tokyo Olympics. Suni Lee and Jade Carey, both Tokyo Olympians, also medaled in individual events, with Carey placing fourth overall.
Additionally, Kaliya Lincoln, who medaled on the floor, and Skye Blakely, who finished fifth overall, are strong contenders heading to the U.S. Nationals, hoping to earn a spot on Team USA.
Gabby Douglas, the 2012 Olympic all-around champion and 2016 Rio Games competitor, made a comeback after an eight-year hiatus. Despite a rough start on the uneven bars, which led her to withdraw from the other events, her return has garnered significant attention.
While Biles is almost certain to make the Olympic team, the remaining four teammates and two alternates are still to be determined.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Biles withdrew from several events due to the “twisties,” a condition that causes disorientation during aerial maneuvers. She took a break to focus on her mental health, making her recent performance even more impressive.
Reflecting on her return, Biles said, “I was just happy to be back out there, get through those nerves again, feel that adrenaline. I can’t really complain about how the first meet back was.”
During the vault exercise, Biles performed the Yurchenko double pike—also known as “Biles II”—a move she was the first woman to land in competition, originally at the 2021 U.S. Classic.
