Tokyo (AFP)
Expected star of the gymnastics events of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Simone Biles abandoned her teammates of the United States team on Tuesday quickly during the all-around for "medical reasons" and the American federation told AFP that it was uncertain for the rest of the Games.
Unusual errors during qualifying on Sunday, an enigmatic and disturbing message on social networks and finally a retirement after only one apparatus in the all-around team on Tuesday.
It's an understatement to say that Simone Biles' Tokyo Games got off to a bad start.
In the first rotation of the all-around on Tuesday, the gymnastics superstar achieved a stint in vaulting well below his usual standards, concluding with a score of 13.766 points.
Disappointed and with a closed face, the four-time Olympic champion of Rio then left the room briefly, to the general amazement of the journalists present in the room empty of any public.
She quickly returned to teammates, but did not resume competition, with the scoreboards indicating that she now had substitute status on uneven bars and the other two events on the program (floor, beam).
Wearing her white tracksuit stamped with the logo USA, Biles, a shy smile on her lips, however remained in the room.
She encouraged her teammates, spoke with her French coach and even sketched a few dance steps to the sound of music that punctuates the passages of the various competitors.
At the end of the competition won by Russia in front of the United States, she changed her clothes and spoke briefly with IOC President Thomas Bach before the official ceremony.
- "Daily exams" -
While the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) officially confirmed that she was a substitute for the entire competition, the American Federation hinted in an email to AFP that the problem encountered by its very popular headliner. in the United States, was serious.
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"Simone (Biles) has withdrawn from the team competition for medical reasons. Checks will be carried out daily to determine if she can receive the medical green light for the competitions to come," explained USA Gymnastics, without giving more details. details of the state of health.
Already Sunday, during the qualifications for the all-around competition, the American had appeared unusually feverish and had made several faults, in particular receiving on the ground.
She still managed to qualify for the six finals on the program in Tokyo, an extremely rare feat, the individual all-around and the team all-around, as well as the four apparatus finals.
A few hours after these qualifications, she had posted on Instagram a disturbing message for her supporters: "I sometimes feel like I am carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders," she wrote.
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Outstanding champion, 24-year-old Biles has five Olympic and 25 world medals to her name.
Biles can join the Soviet Larissa Latynina and her nine historic gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics.
She has not lost an all-around competition since 2013.
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