American gymnastics superstar Simone Biles will compete in all four events during the women's gymnastics team finals on Tuesday at the 2024 Paris Olympics despite a minor calf injury sustained during the qualifying rounds. The U.S. women's gymnastics team is heavily favored to win gold, especially after finishing as runner-up to Russia three years ago in Tokyo.

Biles tweaked her left calf while warming up for the floor exercise during Sunday’s qualifying. She briefly left to have the calf taped but returned to top the scores on both floor and vault, securing the highest all-around score. Initially, U.S. team leaders had considered giving Biles a break by holding her out of the uneven bars in the team finals. However, Biles opted to compete in all events.

“I feel great,” Biles posted on social media, alongside a practice photo that showed her in high spirits, via Nancy Armour of USA Today Sports. Her mother, Nellie Biles, also confirmed on NBC's TODAY show that Simone was doing fine despite the injury scare. Chellsie Memmel, the technical lead for the U.S. women’s team, said that the decision on how many events Biles would compete in was left to her discretion, considering both her extensive schedule and the need to manage her physical well-being.

Simone Biles will perform some of most difficult vaults in the world

Simone Biles of the United States after performing on the uneven bars in womenís qualification during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Bercy Arena.
James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

In the team finals, Biles will anchor the U.S. team on vault, balance beam and floor exercise, while performing second-to-last on the uneven bars. Teammate Jordan Chiles, who narrowly missed the all-around final due to the two-per-country rule, will lead off on vault, bars and balance beam, and go second on floor exercise. Suni Lee, the reigning Olympic champion, will anchor the Americans on bars and also compete on balance beam and floor exercise. Jade Carey will participate in the vault, while newcomer Hezly Rivera will sit out the event finals.

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The Americans posted a commanding score of 172.296 points in the qualifying round, more than five points ahead of Italy. Although scores reset for the team finals, starting on vault should give the U.S. team an advantage. Biles is expected to perform either the most difficult vault in the world, the Yurchenko double pike, or the second hardest, the Cheng. Carey and Chiles also qualified third and fourth on vault, respectively, behind the reigning Olympic and world champion Rebeca Andrade.

A victory in the team finals would mark the U.S. team's fourth Olympic gold and their third since 2012. For Biles, it would mean securing her eighth Olympic medal, surpassing Shannon Miller for the most by a U.S. gymnast. Biles’ determination to compete in all events, despite her injury, highlights her pursuit of redemption after her challenging experience in Tokyo, where she withdrew from the team final due to a case of “the twisties.”