Paris 2024 Olympics: Simone Biles, Team USA shine in first podium training - "We're all breathing a little bit better now"
Leave it to Simone Biles to top Simone Biles.
Even on training day, all eyes were on the four-time Olympic gold medallist as she and the U.S. women took to Bercy Arena for their official podium training on Thursday (25 July) at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
And while it wasn't a perfect day at the office, Biles showed the sort of poise, comfort, strength and - above all else - gymnastics that one would hope for from the now three-time Olympic veteran, 27.
The exclamation point was a flawless Yurchenko double pike on vault that she stuck the landing on. Audible gasps were heard throughout the venue.
"We're all breathing a little bit better right now. I'm not gonna lie," said Biles' coach, Cecile Landi, about her star pupil's form.
"The whole team, you know, [the vibe] is bright. It's the Olympic Games... The rings are everywhere, you know? So we feel much better. The girls feel good. We feel good."
That good feeling comes after Team USA's turn on all four apparatus ahead of Sunday's women's team qualification day, where they'll look to qualify for the team final - and where we'll also find out which two American women qualify for the individual all-around final.
It was in the team final three years ago that Biles opted out of competition at Tokyo 2020, stepping away after two scary vaults and later admitting that she was suffering from "the twisties," where a gymnast loses themselves in the air in relation to the ground.
There were no such twisties on Thursday, as Biles, reigning Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee, two-time Olympians Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey, and 16-year-old newcomer Hezly Rivera all showed glittering gymnastics, with nods from around the coaching staff, Landi included.
"The whole team, they were excited to finally start," Landi confirmed. "I think it's been just, you know, a little bit dragging the whole... U.S. Championships, Trials, camp, all of that. We're finally here. The arena is beautiful. The girls feel it. It's like kind of cozy with the black seats, a big change from Tokyo. ... The colour scheme is awesome. We really, really love it and feel like it's calming. I don't know, it's weird, but that's how it is."
Simone Biles' coach: Team atmosphere "completely different" from Tokyo
"It was really good," was Landi's succint evaluation of that Yurchenko double pike from Biles. "The one in the warm-up gym was really good [too]. She's getting more and more comfortable with it... and no, I don't see it like that every day [in training]."
Biles dazzled on the other events, too, making easy work of her routine on the balance beam before tumbling to the rafters on the floor exercise. She capped her practice with a solid effort on the uneven bars after that aforementioned vault.
"It's a completely different thing than Tokyo," Landi explained of the Team USA atmosphere. "And I think that helps also Simone, for the pressure. You know, they all are world champions, except Hezly, but like former world champions, Olympic medallists. So I think it's just peace of mind in her head that they all have done this before."
For her part, Lee shook off some early nerves on the balance beam where she fell first on her layout stepout mount and then her aerial series. Before moving to the floor exercise, the 21-year-old performed a slightly watered down exercise on the 10 centimetre apparatus with her usual style.
Carey, Chiles and Rivera all looked ready for Sunday’s qualifying round, as well, moving well on all four pieces.
"These are four veterans," added Lee's coach, Jess Graba. "And Hezly is pretty even keeled. So, I mean the whole group is really supportive of each other. You know I think it's a fun group to train with. Obviously there's nerves, but it's nothing unusual."
He continued: "They don't really need a lot of leadership, they just need a lot of support. They're all pretty good leaders."
While it's a second Games for each of Lee, Chiles and Carey and a third for Biles, the teen Rivera is taking it all in after injuries to several top American contenders in the lead-up to the Games meant her suprise naming on the team.
It's eyes wide open for her, Landi said of Rivera... at least as much as she's able to take in.
"I don't know if she realises what's going on," Landi said, laughing. "You know, like, in a way, she knows where she's at. She's super smart... but it's just happened a little too fast. And in a way, I think it's a blessing for her not to really realise what the importance of this competition. I think that's a blessing for her."