The women’s gymnastics team that will represent the United States at the Paris Olympics has been decided.
Following two days of Olympic trials competition over the weekend, USA Gymnastics named Simone Biles, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee and Hezly Rivera its 2024 Olympians on Sunday.
Joscelyn Roberson and Leanne Wong were named traveling alternates.
Biles earned a trip to her third Olympics by winning the all-around competition, while the other four gymnasts were selected by the the Olympic committee comprised of Alicia Sacramone Quinn, the women’s elite program strategic lead; International Elite Committee representative Tatiana Perskaia; and athlete representative Jessie DeZiel.
The gymnasts did not make the decision easy for the committee, though the four did finish No. 2 (Lee), No. 3 (Chiles), No. 4 (Carey) and No. 5 (Rivera) in the all-around over the course of the two-day competition.
The second day of the trials was particularly thrilling, mostly due to the perception that the competition was wide open for the fifth and final spot on the team.
Newcomers in 16-year old Rivera, 16-year old Tiana Sumanasekera and 18-year old Joscelyn Roberson (an Arkansas gymnastics signee) battled throughout the night for that spot — Wong as well — each showcasing skills worthy of Olympic competition on multiple events.
All the while, the Tokyo Olympians Lee, Chiles and Carey had their moments, good and bad. None were at their best, but all were good enough to warrant a spot on the Paris team.
Best of all of course was Biles, who at 27 years old is the oldest gymnast to be on the women’s Olympic team for the United States since the 1950s.
“Being in a good mental spot, seeing my therapist every Thursday is kind of religious for me, so that is why I am here today,” Biles told NBC after the competition.
“I knew I wasn’t done after the performances in Tokyo (in the 2021 Olympics), so just getting back in the gym and working hard and trusting the process with (coaches) Cécile (Canqueteau-Landi) and Laurent (Landi), I knew I’d be back.”
For Lee, the return to the Olympics is almost miraculous.
The reigning Olympic all-around champion from Minnesota was diagnosed with not one but two kidney diseases last year, illnesses that led to her abruptly retiring from NCAA gymnastics after less than two years.
One of those diseases is considered incurable and forced Lee to step away from the sport for six months. That she managed to overcome the disease and the time away from gymnastics and still finish No. 2 in the all-around competition at the Olympic trials behind Biles brought Lee to tears.
“I am constantly surrounded by people who never let me give up,” she said. “A year ago I didn’t even think this was possible. So I am so grateful and all of these amazing ladies are absolutely incredible. I can’t wait to be in Paris.”
Chiles too didn’t have an easy path to her second Olympics. Training this past year — a year she took off from competing for UCLA — didn’t go exactly as planned as she dealt with the passings of her grandpa and aunt.
She dedicated her performance Sunday night to them, thanking God for another Olympic appearance.
“Honestly one thing I can say is all God,” she said. “I wouldn’t be where am I right now if it wasn’t for Him and these amazing ladies, my coaches, my family, my friends.
“I was out here today doing it for the two I lost last year, my grandpa and my aunt. They always believed in me and that is what pushed me to go after my dream, pushed me to another Olympics, which is crazy to say.”
Carey, the reigning Olympic gold medalist on floor exercise and a standout at Oregon State, pulled off the unprecedented (for the U.S. team) by competing both elite gymnastics and college gymnastics at the same time.
Even with a wealth of national and international experience, the Arizona native described Sunday’s competition as something unlike anything she’d experienced before.
“This is the most stressful meet I’ve ever been a part of in my entire life,” she said, “but those past experiences really helped me, reminded me of why I am doing this sport and where I want to go, and I couldn’t do it with out my family, my coaches my friends, even these ladies right here.
“I’m ready to rock it in Paris with them.”
Rivera is the newcomer and something of surprise one, thanks both to her own standout performance — she was the best gymnast on beam Sunday in the entire competition and finished second behind only Lee on bars — and a rash of injuries that prevented Olympic caliber gymnasts Skye Blakely, Kayla DiCello and Shilese Jones from competing fully at the trials.
Even with the injuries, though, Rivera came through when opportunity presented itself, with NBC commentator Samantha Peszek noting, “She’s so young, but tonight she competed like a seasoned veteran.”
“I have to thank God,” Rivera said, “and my coaches, my family, my friends, my teammates. They are all so supportive of me and I am so grateful for everything.
“I’ve made a lot of sacrifices to be here so I am just so incredibly grateful. I cannot be more happy. I am ecstatic.”
Lee, Carey, Chiles and Rivera ultimately all look to Biles, and for good reason. Practically inarguably the greatest woman to ever compete gymnastics, Biles has been an example to them throughout their own careers.
“This one right here has honestly put me in a position to understand what it is to be an athlete in your sport and also a person as well,” Chiles said about Biles, “so being able to mature in my sport, mature in life, mature in everything I have been doing, I give thanks to this one right here, because (without her) I wouldn’t be in this position right now.”
Biles, fresh off her own impressive return to the sport following her struggles in Tokyo, doesn’t take her role lightly.
“I love these girls,” she said, “so I am going to take care of them in Paris.”
Which Team USA can only hope will lead to gold for the United States.
