Biles wins bronze on return to competition in beam final
Simone Biles made her eagerly awaited return to the Olympics yesterday, saying "I did it for me" after taking bronze in the balance beam final won by Chinese teenager Guan Chenchen.
It was the US star's first taste of competition in Tokyo since dramatically standing down during the women's team final last week.
She had struggled with the "twisties", a condition where gymnasts lose the ability to orientate themselves in mid-air.
After also withdrawing from the first three apparatus finals in the uneven bars, vault and floor, the 24-year-old said she had been cleared to compete in the beam only on Monday night.
"Just to have one more opportunity to compete at the Olympic Games meant the world," said Biles, who revealed that her aunt died three days ago.
"Training for five years and then coming here, and then kind of being triggered and not being able to do anything, it wasn't fun."
The four-gold medallist from Rio 2016 received a huge cheer from her US teammates when she entered the arena.
She looked pensive on her comeback as she waited for her turn to climb up onto the 10cm wide beam for her 90-second routine.
But, when the moment came, she was swiftly back at her day job.
While avoiding any twists incorporated in her favoured and most difficult moves, she put in a solid performance, ending with a double backward somersault, double pike dismount.
Her face breaking into a broad grin, she waved and hugged rivals and team officials, the relief of having performed clear on her face. Her routine scored 14.000 points.
Biles was lying second behind China's Tang Xijing (14.233) until 16-year-old Guan, the last of the eight finalists to go, put in a superb display to take gold with 14.633 points, relegating Biles to bronze, the same colour she won in Rio de Janeiro.
"I was just happy to be able to perform regardless of the outcome," said Biles.
"I did it for me and I was proud of myself for being able to compete one more time." - AFP
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