“I Could Barely Walk”: Simone Biles Was Unsure of Competing at Gymnastics Championships Just Before Olympic Trials

Simone Biles made history at the US Gymnastics National Championships in more ways than one. Not only she won a record extending ninth all-around title in Fort Worth, Texas, her victory margin was also the third largest since the perfect 10 scoring system was replaced in 2006. This success followed her Core Hydration triumph earlier and Biles has revealed how that win took a lot out of her.

With the win at the National Championships, Biles took a major step towards what would be her third foray into Olympics. However, very few may know that she faced a difficult situation leading up to her latest victory. In the post-match press conference, Simone Biles went into length speaking about her struggle after participating in the Core Hydration Classic 2024. The competition took such a toll on her that she was not sure about competing at the Xfinity US Gymnastics Championships. 

Biles said, “I survived two days of competition because after Classics I could barely walk afterwards. So I was like oh gosh I don’t know how I’m going to do championships.” The Core Hydration Classic 2024 was the season debut for Simone Biles this year. Her dominant performance saw finish at the top in Hartford with an all-around score of 59.500.

Talking about her expectations she added,

Biles’s final score of  119.750 was nearly six nearly six points clear of Skye Blakely (113.850), who finished second. Notably, the gap between first and second was greater than what separated second place from 10th place. This was also the first time she had broken the 60.000 mark since the 2021 U.S. Olympic trials.

“So, I couldn’t be more proud of how I’m doing this time in the year and just gaining that confidence over and over, getting myself back in front of a crowd and just doing what I do in practice,” Biles told the NBC Sports broadcast.

Meanwhile, Biles is also not just competing to make it to the team representing the U.S. in Paris but is also having fun with gymnastics, especially after her departure following her twisties at the Tokyo Olympics.

“Yeah, everyone says I look like I’m having fun so that’s good because I feel like most of the time if I’m not stressing or having anxiety. I do feel like I’m having fun,” Biles said. “So, it’s good to have that and feel that again.”

The victory has given her the ticket to the Olympic gymnastics trials. On the other hand, after the Core Hydration Classic, the Xfinity game provided a valuable chance to test her opponents. In Hartford, Shilese Jones had given her the toughest battle. But at Xfinity, Skye Blakely come closest. For Biles, the contest with such gymnasts earns her the necessary momentum, and she wants to take it forward.

While she is a fierce competition, that didn’t stop her from reaching out to Suni Lee, who messed up her routine. Lee sat down her landing on the opening vault after performing one and a half twists rather than the planned two twists. As she looked worried and nervous, Biles showed up at her side. According to Lee, Biles told her to breathe, do what she normally does, remember her key words and that she can do hard things.

Having herself experienced a similar situation in Tokyo three years ago, Biles knew what effect it could have. “I know how traumatizing it is, especially on a big stage like this. And I didn’t want her to get in her head, so we just went and talked about it,” Biles said. Encouraged by her friend, Lee finished a respectable fourth.

So Biles is managing her and Team USA’s momentum ahead of the big summer Games. To keep the stress at bay, she also wants to take a break from her social media engagement. According to her, the unsolicited opinions could hamper her present mindset. The 27-year-old gymnast counts on her family, coaches, and friends to give her a positive vibe. The positive experience may take another height with the presence of an optimum training schedule.

Before the US Olympic schedule, the combination of these might help Simone Biles to march forward. But as per coach Cecile Landi, another factor has heavily backed Simone Biles this time to ignore any impasse. 

What is driving Simone Biles?

After missing several elite contests in the last three years, Simone Biles is leaving no stone unturned when it comes to her third Olympic participation chance. The attitude could be seen in her selection of contests and scoring spree. At the Core Hydration Classic 2024, the world champion gymnast successfully attempted her signature Biles II routine on the vault. 

Similarly, two days ago on day 1 of senior events in the Xfinity games, Simone Biles claimed the best score in the Olympic quad. Today, she registered the top points in all four apparatuses. What is driving her lately? Coach Cecile Landi claims it to be Simone’s way of feeling confident. 

“She needs to feel confident, and this is how she feels confident, competing well,” the French Olympian said. Moreover, Landi backs her internal satisfaction to see herself performing in each of the elite gymnastics competitions when the trials are weeks away.

For her, such high-tagged performances help her feel the presence of fun, defeating the anxieties. So, Simone Biles will continue to write new lores in the gymnastics performance book.