Biles captures gold, Lee bronze in women's all-around gymnastics finals
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Gold medalist Simone Biles and bronze medalist Sunisa Lee of Team USA celebrate with the American flag at the Paris Olympics. Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
PARIS — Simone Biles captured the women's all-around gold in Paris on Thursday, besting Brazil's Rebeca Andrade, with American Sunisa Lee capturing Bronze.
Why it matters: The first- and third-place finishes are yet another victory for the decorated athletes, both of whom faced an uncertain path to Paris.
- Biles became the sixth straight U.S. gymnast to win the women's Olympic all-around title.
State of play: It comes after Team USA vaulted, flipped and flew to the top Tuesday, easily beating out Italy and Brazil to grab the gold medal in the team competition.
- With her gold medal, Biles left Thursday's competition with her ninth Olympic medal and Lee her fifth.
By the numbers: The two Americans began on vault, with Biles nailing her routine, scoring a 15.766, and grabbing the lead after one rotation. Lee scored a 13.933, placing her seventh among the 24 competitors at the end of the first rotation.
- Next up for Biles and Lee was uneven bars, one of Lee's strongest events and Biles' weakest. Biles scored a 13.733, dropping her out of the lead, behind Andrade and Algeria's Kaylia Nemour. Meanwhile Suni Lee nailed a difficult routine, scoring 14.866 to move her up to fifth.
- On beam, Biles scored a 14.566 — the highest mark at that point on the apparatus — to regain the lead, with Andrade in second after scoring a 14.133. Lee turned in an 14.000, moving up to a tie for fourth with Nemour, who struggled on beam.
- All the top gymnasts finished on floor exercise. A strong 13.666 performance from Lee moved her into first place with just two gymnasts — Andrade and Biles remaining — assuring her of a medal and eliciting loud cheers from the crowd. Andrade also nailed her routine, scoring an 14.033 and moving into the lead ahead of Lee.
- Biles then electrified the crowd with her performance, scoring an 15.066, to seal the gold medal.
Catch up quick: Biles and Lee received the top two scores in their subdivision in Sunday's qualification round, sending them soaring to the all-around finals.
- Lee jockeyed with teammate Jordan Chiles for the No. 2 spot, edging her out on the uneven bars.
- Only two athletes from each country can compete in the finals, leaving Chiles to watch her teammates compete.
Zoom out: Biles' win, fresh off a calf injury scare, represents yet another massive milestone for the 27-year-old, who withdrew from the Tokyo team event due to a case of "the twisties" and concerns over mental health.
- But Biles, widely considered the sport's greatest athlete ever, has been solid throughout the team and Thursday's individual competition.
Lee also bounded over significant hurdles to reach the podium on Thursday, after recent kidney ailments — which she says are now in remission — threatened to sideline her career.
- She picked up Biles' symbolic baton in 2021 to defend the team's reigning title and came out on top in the women's all-around final in Tokyo.
Between the lines: A packed crowd cheered on the gymnasts, with several members of the U.S. men's basketball team on hand, including Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Tyrese Haliburton.
What's next: Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Lee and Biles will compete in individual apparatus finals.
- Carey, who was overcoming an illness earlier in the week, will sprint to the vault with Biles Saturday while Chiles, known for a routine pumped with personality and pizzaz, will look to dazzle on the floor Monday, alongside Biles.
- Biles and Lee will also compete in the balance beam final Monday, and Lee qualified for the uneven bars final, set for Saturday.
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