Simone Biles Advances to Olympics Gymnastics Finals with Top Score

Simone Biles achieved the highest overall score during the Olympics gymnastics qualifications, despite a calf injury from a rough landing during floor warm-ups.

The gymnastics star had her ankle taped and walked with a limp, yet continued to execute her floor, vault, and uneven bar routines without any issues. Biles concluded the all-around qualification round with an impressive score of 59.566, securing her place in the finals alongside teammate Suni Lee, who finished in second place with a score of 56.132.

Fellow Team USA competitor Jordan Chiles placed third with a score of 56.065. However, only two gymnasts from each country can move forward to the individual all-around final. The U.S. gymnastics team remains a strong contender for gold, with Biles and Lee set to compete against each other in five finals, including the individual all-around and team events.

Biles’ qualifications routine, considered the most challenging globally and featuring original moves, was accompanied by Taylor Swift’s “Ready for It.” As she left the floor to celebrate with Jordan Chiles and coach Laurent Landi, she received cheers from celebrities such as Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Lady Gaga, Snoop Dogg, Tom Cruise, Greta Gerwig, Nick Jonas, John Legend, and Chrissy Teigen. This array of famous faces arguably made the gymnastics arena the most star-studded setting of the Olympics, second only to the spectacular opening ceremony.

Ariana Grande watches the gymnastics qualifiers.

Beyoncé also made a surprise appearance during the broadcast, remixing her hit “YA YA” to highlight Team USA athletes, including the women’s gymnastics team. The singer clapped along to a montage featuring American competitors, adding an extra layer of excitement to the event.

“Hello, girls,” Beyoncé greeted. “Hello, Beyoncé,” responded the uniform-clad members of the women’s gymnastics team, which included Jade Carey, Suni Lee, Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, and Hezly Rivera. Following this, the men’s gymnastics team—featuring Fred Richard, Brody Malone, Paul Juda, Asher Hong, and Stephen Nedoroscik—offered their greetings as well.