Simone Biles and the U.S. women’s gymnastics team are turning heads at the 2024 Paris Olympics with today’s qualifying round. Biles dazzled the audience with a balance beam routine that truly set the cat among the pigeons. Her dismount was nearly perfect, with just a small hop back. With a score of 14.733, Biles set the bar sky-high, making it clear that she’s a force to be reckoned with. However, in the floor routine, Biles hit a bump in the road, adding a twist to the day’s events.

Before the second event kicked off, Biles seemed to tweak her leg while warming up on the floor exercise. She left with Team USA doctor Marcia Faustin, echoing her Tokyo experience when she had to pull out of the team final to avoid putting herself in a tight spot. This wasn’t déjà vu, though. Biles returned after a few minutes, taking a seat on the sidelines.

Despite the intense expression on her face, Biles pushed through with the Biles II – a notoriously difficult triple-twisting double somersault that strains every part of her leg. The medical team secured her ankle with a tight wrap and taped her left leg, as she was heard on camera commenting about a twinge in her calf. She tested her leg by walking around before returning to the floor exercise.

Biles scored the highest on floor exercise with a 14.600 and nailing her signature Yurchenko double pike (15.8). After finishing on the uneven bars with a minor slip- briefly wobbling during a handstand, she went over to acknowledge the cheering U.S. crowd, smiling and waving. “Yeah,” Biles said with a grin after her score of 14.433 appeared on the screen. Despite this impressive rebound, the mishap sent shockwaves through the gymnastics world.

A surge of fan anxiety and heartfelt pleas for Simone Biles

Among the many concerned fans, the outpouring of emotion on X was palpable. One user expressed their distress, saying, “Simone, please, I want to throw up and cry. Make her be fine, PLEASE.” This heart-wrenching plea recalls Tokyo three years ago when Biles withdrew from the team final to play it safe. However, this time, she faced the music with courage, performing a Yurchenko despite her calf pain showing she’s not one to let a setback get the best of her.

Unlike in Tokyo, where in YDK she only completed one vault and a half. But this time Biles opted to skip a unique skill on the uneven bars this time, sticking to her usual routine and scoring 14.333 while carefully nursing her leg after the dismount.

Another echoed the sentiment with, “Please don’t tell me Simone is hurt.” but despite her injury, Biles didn’t let it stop her. With a score of 172.296, the Americans left their competition in the dust and are seeking redemption after finishing as runners-up to Russia three years ago.

A third fan wrote, “SIMONE IS HURT????” and another added, “Please tell me Simone is okay, OH MY GOD.” well, according to the Biles reported “just a little pain in her calf,” which she felt on the floor and taped up. Reports reveal that Biles was experiencing minor calf pain, which she noticed during her floor routine and addressed with tape.

Although she had previously dealt with some issues, there had been no new problems until this incident. By the time Biles reached the bars, her condition had improved. Cecile Landi, Biles’ coach, reassured that there were no significant concerns about her ability to compete in the upcoming women’s team final. The collective anxiety and hope highlight just how much Biles means to her supporters.