at the end of a troubled neck and neck, Simone Biles has reached the crown in every competition – Libération

2024-08-01 21:30:00

Facing her Brazilian rival, Rebeca Andrade, the world number 1 in gymnastics regained her Rio title on August 1 in Bercy, three years after withdrawing from several finals during the Tokyo Olympics.

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On Saturday, Simone Biles gave a surprise mid-final of the Olympic team games. A large screen supports exposing his molars to the entire Bercy Arena. It must be said that the American victory was assured from the first seconds. This Thursday, for the famous final of the individual all-round competition, the high favorite showed a nervous look until the last moments. Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, the silver medalist in Tokyo, nearly stole the show. “I don’t want to compete with you anymore! I’m too worried!” laughs the greatest gymnast in the world, victorious after two hours of neck-to-neck all shiny and stretched legs. Only 1.2 points separate them. Peanut.

What happened in this armored arena, where Ariana Grande and Bill Gates gave way to Zidane and Kendal Jenner? The queen thought he was afraid. The error of the competition system: 24 participants are divided by levels on four materials (vault, uneven bars, beam, floor). Thus, the top six in the competitions are fighting each other. Andrade in yellow and Biles in blue follow each other, between hugs and avoids, under the gaze of dozens of cameras. Go, brothers, we can’t find goats anymore (The highest of all time, best of all time).

The queen fell

On the vault, the Brazilian delivers a surprising half-twist yourchenko with a sharp landing: 15.100, excellent, well done. Enough to tickle the ego of the American, who has in his pocket a death jump that only he knows how to do and that proves his name, the “Biles II”: the back double pike yurchenko. 15,766 is incredible. In living memory, we have never seen two 15s in a row. On the rest of the field competitions, the “normal” gymnasts who have recorded 13s or 14s are at the top of the world.

On the bars, that’s where the problem lies. The Brazilian makes a perfect world. Biles also has pressure, and bars are his “weak” tool. We widen our eyes: Has the inimitable Simone Biles not just stepped on her feet and touched the floor? Yes, and it is a fall: 13.733, far from your qualifying score. His toothy smile in the jury fades. In the middle of the competition, another American Suni Lee, 1st in Tokyo in all-region, took the lead in the ranking. Rebeca Andrade was second. Simone Biles, third? It’s like a bad joke.

A choreography on Beyoncé

Suddenly, the end of the game turns into a long distance race, requiring a subtle blend of precision and discretion. This wild heart which was almost Simone Biles in his life when his movements triggered, a dangerous loss of bearings which forced him to withdraw from Tokyo in 2021. He does not want to revive that in Bercy. On a beam 10 cm wide and 1.20 m high, it has a slight irregularity, causing it “Oh” everyone cares more than parents. Your score is excellent, as is your Brazilian. In fact.

He will have to bring his big weapons out on the ground. A choreography on Beyoncé, what do you say Rebeca? In fact, the Brazilian also wiggles her hips on Queen B. Really, will Biles be in front of her mirror? No, that’s it, the victory was there, in his incredible floor score, 15.066, against 14.033 for Andrade. Suni Lee, who is in the third, gave him the American flag to work on the ground and greet this planet that dominates. Everyone shouted: “USA, USA, USA” “I’m proud of him! The last three years have not been easy, so tonight is magic!” remove her coach, Frenchwoman Cécile Landi. This Thursday, August 1, Simone Biles, 27 years old, 1.42 m, won her ninth Olympic medal and her fifth gold. “I’m happy to be in the conversation as the best athlete of all time. But I still think I’m Simone Biles from Spring, Texas. ” A girl who hesitates when a rival in yellow arrives.