United States gymnastics chiefs said Tuesday they want to keep the pressure off Simone Biles as she bids for six gold medals at the Paris Olympics.
US women’s team technical leader Chellsie Memmel said Biles must not feel they are “relying” on her and she has the option of not competing on all four apparatus in the women’s team final.
“I don’t say, ‘You are keeping us all together, we’re relying on you and you alone’,” Memmel told journalists days before the Games begin in the French capital.
Biles’s coach Cecile Landi approached coaching staff to discuss expectations on the four-time Olympic champion, who disclosed her mental health struggles during the Tokyo Olympics.
“If she doesn’t feel like it’s going to be in her best interest to do all four events that day, is that an option for her?” Memmel said Landi asked.
“And we said: absolutely.
“If that’s what she needs to continue to be at her best for her team and for herself, then that’s what we’re going to do because there are still four other members on our team.”
Biles, 27, returns to the glare of the Olympic spotlight in women’s qualifying on Sunday with the team final on Tuesday, three years after struggling with the disorienting mental block that gymnasts call the “twisties”.
Biles dazzled at the 2016 Rio Games, winning gold in all-around, vault, floor exercise and team events.
She arrived at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games with superstar billing and history in her sights.
She withdrew from the majority of her events but came back to win team silver and bronze on the balance beam.
– ‘Double-edged sword’ –
Memmel said that the team did not want Biles to feel she was the glue holding them together.
“So I think for her, just knowing that she has that option… now whether she takes it or not, it’s going to be completely up to her.
“We also talked about that with her at worlds last year, and she ultimately decided to do all four events during team finals.
“But I think just for her, knowing that that is a possibility, that helps.”
The US women’s team includes three-time world medallist and Tokyo all-around gold medallist Suni Lee; reigning Olympic floor gold medallist Jade Carey and 2020 Olympic team silver medallist Jordan Chiles, along with 16-year-old newcomer Hezly Rivera.
“It’s like that double-edged sword for someone where she wants to be able to help but also wants to be able to be at her best,” said Memmel of Biles.
The US trials earlier this month had been “pretty rough”, said former Olympic medallist Memmel of injuries to Skye Blakely, Shilese Jones and Kayla DiCello.
“Simone has been doing great, she’s been solid in training, she seems to be in a really good place and she’s been a great leader for this team.
“I know together as a team they’re all really looking forward to the competition and it is kind of their redemption tour you know from the previous Olympic Games, so they’re excited they’re all coming together for it and Simone has been a big part of that.”
On Tuesday, 23-times world champion Biles looked relaxed as she went through her workout at Le Bourget Exhibition Centre training hall to the north of Paris.
Her Taylor Swift music blared for her floor routine as the six-time world champion on the apparatus hit a spectacular triple-twisting double back flip.
The American stopped her balance beam routine to watch the uneven bars and cheer 17-year-old Algerian Kaylia Nemour, the reigning world silver medallist on the apparatus.
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