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Simone Biles secured her spot on the U.S. Olympic team for Paris by winning the U.S. Olympic Team Trials with a margin of over five points.

MINNEAPOLIS : 

For most gymnasts, a slip off the balance beam, a foot outside the line on the floor exercise, or too many steps after landing a vault could ruin their chance at victory.
But this is Simone Biles we're talking about.
At 27, already the most decorated gymnast in history, Biles had a somewhat shaky night at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Yet, it was still enough for her to finish ahead of her competitors by more than 5.5 points and secure a spot on the team for this summer's games in Paris.

And the crowd was unfazed by the slip-ups. After her floor routine, the final event of the night, Biles stepped off the podium to a standing ovation from the 16,000 fans packed into the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis.

Olympic gold is the next milestone for Simone Biles as she makes a remarkable return to gymnastics after a two-year hiatus. In 2021, Biles withdrew from several events in Tokyo due to experiencing the "twisties," a psychological phenomenon where a gymnast loses control in mid-air. She has emphasized that this break was crucial for her mental health.

"I never pictured going to another Olympic Games after Tokyo, just because of the circumstances. I never thought I would go back in the gym again, be twisting, feel free," Biles said Sunday after the competition.

In Paris, Biles is expected to be a top contender for gold medals in the individual all-around, vault, and floor exercise. She will be joined by Suni Lee, the Tokyo Games all-around gold medalist, who also impressed the crowd Sunday night in her hometown of St. Paul.

Two other Olympic veterans, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey, are set to return for their second Games. Joining them is newcomer Hezly Rivera, who turned 16 in June. Additionally, two alternates, Joscelyn Roberson and Leanne Wong, will travel with the team.

The women's team had secured gold in the team all-around in 2012 and 2016. However, in Tokyo, they finished in second place after Biles withdrew from the event.

The silver medal has stayed with them, the competitors said on Sunday. All four returning Olympians spoke of "redemption" as they discussed their goals for Paris.

"I feel like we all have more to give. Our Tokyo performances weren't the best," Biles said. "We weren't under the best circumstances, either, but I feel like we have a lot of weight on our shoulders to go out there and prove we're better athletes."

Injuries had loomed over the women's trials : 

A series of injuries before and during the first day of competition cast a shadow over the women's trials. It began with Skye Blakely suffering an Achilles injury during pre-competition training on Wednesday; Blakely's strong second-place finish at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships had made her a strong contender for the Olympic team.

On Friday, another top contender, Shilese Jones, injured her knee while warming up on the vault. Shortly after, Kayla DiCello had to exit the competition in a wheelchair due to an Achilles injury sustained on the vault.

On Friday, consecutive injuries deeply unsettled the remaining competitors. Lee, scheduled to vault right after DiCello, struggled to compose herself, wiping away tears before taking her place on the podium.

"I had to see my therapist yesterday and work on refocusing my mind because it was heartbreaking to witness some of my friends being forced out of this significant competition," Lee shared on Sunday. "My thoughts are with them during this tough time."

The U.S. men's gymnastics team head to Paris hoping to win first team medal since 2008 : 

The men's team was unveiled on Saturday night, featuring five competitors. Led by Olympic veteran Brody Malone and newcomer Fred Richard, who has garnered attention as a social media star, they are heading to Paris with a clear objective: to secure the first U.S. team gymnastics medal since 2008.
"We're not just aiming for a medal; we're aiming for gold, and we're determined to achieve it," remarked Richard confidently on Saturday.
Richard, aged 20, clinched the top spot at the U.S. team trials, with Malone, aged 24, securing second place. They will be accompanied to Paris by Asher Hong, Paul Juda, and Stephen Nedoroscik, alongside alternates Shane Wiskus and Khoi Young.
In addition to aiming for a return to the team medal podium, the team has a secondary objective: to elevate the profile of men's gymnastics, a sport often overshadowed by its women's counterpart.
"If we achieve our goal of winning a team medal in Paris, it will further ignite interest in men's gymnastics," said Hong on Saturday.