Gymnastics

Team USA added more gold to its Tokyo Olympics haul, bringing their overall count to 59 (and counting) following the ninth day of competition.

That total is good enough for the overall lead, but America still trails China by four gold medals, despite adding to its total in swimming and golf.

Inspirational and emotional performances by female athletes MyKayla Skinner and Yulimar Rojas, and a historic showing by American golfer Xander Schauffele, dominated Sunday's highlights.

    

Tokyo Olympic Medal Standings Following Day 9

1. China: 24 gold, 51 overall
2. United States: 20 gold, 59 overall
3. Japan: 17 gold, 31 overall
4. Australia: 14 gold, 31 overall
5. ROC: 12 gold, 44 overall
6. Great Britain: 10 gold, 32 overall
7. France: 5 gold, 21 overall
8. Republic of Korea: 5 gold, 17 overall
9. Italy: 4 gold, 27 overall
10. Netherlands: 4 gold, 17 overall

Complete standings are available at Olympics.com

     

MyKayla Skinner Medals as Olympic Career Concludes

Less than a week after failing to qualify for any finals event, MyKayla Skinner put on her competition unitard one last time, replacing Simone Biles in the vault finals. She made the most of the opportunity, taking home the silver medal.

Looks like I get to put a competition Leo on just one more time. Can’t wait to compete in vault finals. Doing this for us @Simone_Biles ❤️ It’s go time baby!

— MyKayla Skinner (Harmer) (@mykaylaskinner) July 31, 2021

Ready to head home after the disappointment of July 25, she stepped in to replace Biles in Sunday's competition and now leaves Tokyo with an elusive medal.

An alternate in 2016, she watched from the stands while her teammates celebrated gold. When she was deemed ineligible to compete due both to Olympic rules and the fact that Biles and Jade Carey had qualified ahead of her, it appeared as though her career on the international stage would end not with a bang, but a whimper.

She stuck around, though, and trained with Biles. When the, arguably, greatest gymnast of all time pulled out of the vault finals, she stepped in. Now, she is an Olympic medalist.

Delivered big time.

A message from vault silver medalist @mykaylaskinner. ♥️ #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/SM8Udc5Hay

— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 1, 2021

"I think it's so cool to show that age is just a number, and that anything is possible if you work hard and dream for it," Skinner told the Associated Press in reference to her age (24) and the resiliency she showed throughout her run.

Now, it's time for Skinner to look toward life beyond competing. "It's time for me to move on with life. I'm ready."

Brazil's Rebeca Andrade earned the gold medal in the event, while Yeo Seojeong of South Korea earned the bronze.

American Suni Lee added to the gymnastic team's Olympic medal count with a bronze in the uneven bars.

     

Venezuela's Yulimar Rojas Obliterates Triple Jump Record

Olympic history was made Sunday as Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela set a world record in the triple jump at 15.76 meters. The previous record, 15.50m set by Ukraine's Inessa Yavets, stood for 26 years.

Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas sets a world record in the women’s triple jump 🔥

Her reaction was priceless

(via @NBCOlympics) pic.twitter.com/oox2fgRIVp

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 1, 2021

It was not particularly close.

Rojas is the first Venezuelan woman to capture Olympic gold, magnifying the accomplishment. Hers is only the fourth gold medal in Venezuelan Olympic history.

"When I woke up this morning, I already knew today was going to be a good day," she said after the historic moment (h/t ESPN). "I knew. I already knew. I knew from the run. I knew I couldn't miss that one. I knew it was right there. I didn't even have to look. My head, my heart, my body."

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No - it's #YulimarRojas pic.twitter.com/DJgBOunnNX

— catherine shipton 💙🇺🇦 🇮🇪 she/her (@cathship27) August 1, 2021

Rojas was no stranger to international competition entering the games. She was a silver medalist in the 2016 games and won consecutive world championships. Now, she leaves Tokyo the undisputed best triple jumper and Olympic gold medalist.

   

Xander Schauffele Earns First American Gold in Golf Since 1904

For the first time in 117 years, America has a gold medal in golf after Xander Schauffele sank two critical putts to earn him victory.

WHAT. A .SHOT.@XSchauffele sticks it close on 18 - he'll putt for par and the gold medal 🥇#TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/Zk51SBQU0C

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) August 1, 2021

Not because American golf has been lackluster for that period of time but, rather, because the competition disappeared from the games after the 1904 games and did not return until 2016 in Rio. 

Schauffele spent his professional career chasing a major, only for them to repeatedly elude him.

More satisfying than a green jacket or trophy was the medal, which not only reflects his dedication to the game but also serves as a tribute to his father, who chased a medal but saw his career cut short by an accident that cost him an eye.

My dad's dream of becoming an Olympic decathlete came to a sudden end in 1986 when a drunk driver crashed into his car. You can read more about his journey and why it means a lot for me to be here in Tokyo with him: https://t.co/k2LEV2Csta #Tokyo2020 @StefanSchauffe1 pic.twitter.com/yXHUajje8h

— Xander Schauffele (@XSchauffele) July 28, 2021

"And with my dad, he dedicated a big chunk of his life for quite some time to obtaining a medal, and that was taken away from him. ... It was more than just golf for me. And I’m just really, really happy and fortunate to be sitting here," he said after his monumental win, per AP.

Schauffele earned the medal despite a crowded field in which nine players still had a shot at the prize on the 18th hole.

Simone Biles was in attendance to watch Sunisa Lee win the women's gymnastics individual all-around gold medal Thursday at the Tokyo Olympics, and then she celebrated her Team USA teammate's achievement on Instagram.

Simone & Suni celebrating ❤️

(via @Simone_Biles) https://t.co/ip9fdj90Hr

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 29, 2021

Biles won the all-around title at the 2016 Rio Games and would have been the heavy favorite in Thursday's competition, but she opted to withdraw in order to focus on her mental health.

The four-time Olympic gold medalist stepped aside during the team competition Tuesday, saying she had "never felt like this before" and explained she didn't want to let her teammates down.

"Once I came out here, I was like, no the mental is not there," Biles said. "I had to let the girls do it."

She returned to the floor to cheer on the remainder of Team USA's gymnasts as they went on to win the silver medal in the team event, and she was back in the arena Thursday to root for Lee and teammate Jade Carey, who finished eighth in the all-around final.

"She told me, 'Good luck,' and go out there, do the best I can and have fun," Carey told reporters about a conversation with Biles before the event.

Simone Biles and Team USA in the stands supporting Suni Lee and Jade Carey ❤️ pic.twitter.com/fuH1JxKPqr

— ESPN (@espn) July 29, 2021

Biles is still eligible to take part in the discipline finals: the vault and uneven bars on Sunday, the floor exercise on Monday and the balance beam on Tuesday. She hasn't indicated whether she'll compete.

Lee continued the run of dominance by the U.S. in the women's all-around. Americans have taken the top spot on the podium in the event in every Olympics since 2004, a streak featuring Carly Patterson, Nastia Liukin, Gabby Douglas, Biles and now Lee.

USA Gymnastics star Simone Biles took to Twitter on Wednesday night to thank fans and observers for all the love and support she's received after the Americans won silver at the Tokyo Olympics earlier this week. 

the outpouring love & support I’ve received has made me realize I’m more than my accomplishments and gymnastics which I never truly believed before. 🤍

— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) July 29, 2021

Biles stepped back from her prepared performances during Tuesday's team event, noting that she was struggling mentally during her routines and feared a mistake could cost her teammates a medal. Her actions have contributed to a worldwide conversation about the mental health of Olympians and what more can be done to support individuals at the games. 

"It's been really stressful this Olympic Games," Biles said Tuesday. "It’s been a long week, a long Olympic process, a long year. I think we're a little too stressed out. We should be out here having fun and that's just not the case."

Biles has made relatively few statements since Tuesday, speaking with NBC's Today and providing more details through USA Gymnastics. She will not compete in the final individual all-around competition Thursday and instead will take time to prioritize her well-being. 

After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition. We wholeheartedly support Simone’s decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many. pic.twitter.com/6ILdtSQF7o

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) July 28, 2021

The gymnastics community, in particular, quickly came to her defense, explaining the danger posed by the "twisties"—the sport's version of the yips, in which athletes are unable to trust muscle memory when flying through the air.

Former USA Gymnastics star Nastia Liukin has gone into depth about the issue during NBC's Olympics coverage while Biles' teammates have continued to promote Biles' exemplary leadership both as a teammate and in knowing when to step back to ensure the Americans ended up on the podium. 

It's unclear if Biles will return at all during the Olympics. 

  

"I can't get up and do this," Simone Biles said to her coach, Cecile Landi, after she balked a vault midair in the first rotation of the women's gymnastics team final Tuesday. 

It was a moment of surprising vulnerability. For anyone, but especially for an Olympic gymnast.

Equally surprising was what happened next.

Landi listened. She took Biles aside, asked her if she was sure. She had Biles speak to a doctor, then to gymnastics officials. She had her back as those officials urged Biles to continue with the competition, and stood by as Biles officially scratched the remainder of the event. Biles has also withdrawn from the individual all-around competition Thursday, and her participation in event finals next week—she qualified on all four apparatuses—remains a question mark. 

Biles spoke. Landi heard her. 

What happened at the team final was nothing less than proof of a seismic change within gymnastics culture. 

It began five years ago, just after the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, when we first heard that former USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar had, under the guise of providing medical treatment, sexually abused hundreds of young gymnasts. Many of them had spoken up, told people in charge, only to be ignored as Nassar's abuse continued. They were failed by coaches, by USA Gymnastics, by police, even by the FBI. Their reputations were smeared; they were told they were looking for attention. But people had started to listen. The tide started to turn. 

The day before Nassar's January 2018 sentencing hearing on seven sexual assault charges in Michigan, Simone Biles spoke up. She was not the first, she would not be the last, but there's no denying the impact of her words in particular. 

Feelings... 💭 #MeToo pic.twitter.com/ICiu0FCa0n

— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) January 15, 2018

Biles wrote that day that she could not imagine returning to elite gymnastics and having to train at the ranch owned by coaches Bela and Martha Karolyi, which served as the national training center, where some of Nassar's abuse took place. USAG listened and closed the ranch almost immediately. Biles tweeted after USAG hired Mary Bono as CEO, speaking up along with others to voice concern about Bono's connection to a law firm that advised USAG amid the scandal surrounding Nassar: 

*mouth drop*

don’t worry, it’s not like we needed a smarter usa gymnastics president or any sponsors or anything https://t.co/cYQizcjywn

— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) October 13, 2018

Bono resigned after four days in her job. 

The fallout continued as famous coaches were exposed as abusers. The Karolyis, who selected Olympic teams over three decades, were accused of both enabling and ignoring Nassar's abuse, allowing the problem to grow. They pioneered a top-down style of coaching in the US in which gymnasts were expected to be seen and not heard. It was tough, strategic, and there was little room for feelings when results were on the line.

Maggie Haney, who coached Laurie Hernandez to the 2016 Olympics and was coaching Riley McCusker, a 2020 hopeful who did not make the team in the end, was suspended by USAG for eight years after a group of her gymnasts, including Hernandez and McCusker, testified that she had ridiculed their weight, mocked them, forced them to train while injured, stood by and laughed as they incurred grievous injury. Her suspension was later reduced to five years after an appeal.

John Geddert, who was the head coach for the 2012 Olympic team, was charged with human trafficking and sexual assault in relation to his treatment of young athletes at his Michigan gymnastics club where Nassar also worked; he committed suicide before he could stand trial.

The list goes on and on, and the athletes who were abused should have been listened to much, much sooner.

When gymnasts say they hurt, that it's too much, that they can't do it, trust them. They are elite athletes. They know their bodies and their minds. Remember Kerri Strug at the 1996 Olympics? She famously vaulted on a hurt foot after being told a gold medal was on the line. Her sacrifice has aged poorly; watching a replay of her vault now, it looks more like acquiescence than taking one for the team. Strug has voiced support for Biles after her decision to pull out of the team competition. 

For too long, gymnasts were regarded as the puppets of their coaches, with little agency of their own. The last five years have changed that, and Biles has been at the forefront of the movement the entire time. 

Biles has been fortunate and has been the beneficiary of compassionate coaching before. Her coach before the Landis, Aimee Boorman, once pulled her from vault at a 2013 competition, fearing at the time that Simone's mental edge was gone. 

Biles has spoken of the Landis as partners in her career and credits them with pushing her to go further in the sport after she thought she had peaked in Rio.

On social media, in television interviews, in documentaries, Biles has spoken over the last three years, since she returned to elite competition in 2018, about the difficulty of that comeback. The physical pain. The mental pressure. The fear, after the Olympics were postponed a year, that she wouldn't make it. Her bewilderment that USAG refused to hire an independent investigator into their handling of the Nassar case, or own up to failing its own athletes. Because of her dominance, and her status as the only known victim of Nassar still competing for USAG, her words were heard and believed by most. 

But she still was forced to bear the brunt of USAG's expectations for the Olympic team this year. Back in 2016, Biles had an established track record of dominance in international competition, but she wasn't yet a star beyond the borders of the gymnastics world. The Rio games changed that. 

After the 2016 Olympics, Biles' teammates retired or began doing NCAA gymnastics. Suddenly, after a year off, she was leading teams of girls and young women who were largely no longer her contemporaries. She was a role model, not just one of the team anymore. It wore on her, she said. Her teammates were strong, every one of them, but USAG spoke of Biles as the key to American dominance. 

After Olympic Trials this year, Tom Forster, the women's high-performance coordinator for USAG who oversees the team selection process, notoriously said that the team final score at the Olympics wouldn't come down to tenths of a point, freeing him from doing the math to put together the highest-scoring team and relying instead upon the gymnasts' rank in the all-around standings. Unspoken was his assurance that the United States would win gold because they had Biles as an insurance policy, and it didn't matter who else was on the team. 

Forster said after a national team camp in January that Biles' presence on a team "reduces everybody's anxiety." But what about Biles' anxiety? 

"That s--t's heavy," Biles said at a press conference Tuesday after she withdrew from the team final, referring to the weight of the expectations on her.

After qualifications, Biles wrote on Instagram,  "I truly do feel that I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times." 

And after she scratched from the team final, Biles told NBC's Hoda Kotb, on behalf of her team, that "We hope America still loves us." It's hard to imagine the kind of pressure a 24-year-old is carrying on behalf of her nation that would prompt that comment. 

When Biles said it was too much, we are lucky that the people around her had listened enough over the last five years to listen again with a competition and medals on the line and to make her feel seen and heard. She has done more than enough for us in her career. We owe her our ears, and our hearts, as well. 

Thanks to a clutch horizontal bar routine in the final rotation, Japan's Daiki Hashimoto won gold in the men's gymnastics individual all-around at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo on Wednesday.

Hashimoto scored a 14.933 on the horizontal bar, bringing his final total over six events to 88.465. China's Xiao Ruoteng won silver with 88.065 and Nikita Nagornyy of the Russian Olympic Committee was the bronze medalist with 88.031 points.

Nick Zaccardi of NBC Sports noted that the 19-year-old Hashimoto made history as the youngest-ever Olympic gold medalist in the men's all-around:

Japan's Daiki Hashimoto, 19, is the first teenage man to win an Olympic all-around (Olympedia). Brody Malone is top American in 10th. First time the U.S. doesn't have a man in the top 9 since 1992.

— Nick Zaccardi (@nzaccardi) July 28, 2021

Japan has now won gold in the men's all-around at each of the past three Olympics after Kohei Uchimura won in both 2012 and 2016.

Here is a rundown of the top 10 finishers in the men's individual all-around, courtesy of Olympics.com:

1. Daiki Hashimoto (JPN): 88.465

2. Xiao Ruoteng (CHN): 88.065

3. Nikita Nagornyy (ROC): 88.031

4. Sun Wei (CHN): 87.798

5. Takeru Kitazono (JPN): 86.698

6. Artur Dalaloyan (ROC): 86.248

7. Chia-Hung Tang (TPE): 84.798

8. James Hall (GBR): 84.598

9. Joe Fraser (GBR): 84.499

10. Brody Malone (USA): 84.465

Hashimoto received a great deal of praise for his virtuoso performance, with British gymnast Dan Keatings and former American Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir among those to enjoy his performance:

Daiki Hashimoto is unreal 🙌🏼🥇🔥

— Dan Keatings OLY (@DanKeatings) July 28, 2021

https://twitter.com/JohnnyGWeir/status/1420371939357384708

In addition to having the best horizontal bar score of anyone in the men's all-around competition, Hashimoto was tops in pommel horse at 15.166.

He also had the second-best floor exercise score (14.833) and the fourth-best parallel bars score (15.300).

The victory represented a measure of redemption for Hashimoto and Japanese men's gymnastics after falling to ROC in the team competition and settling for silver.

As pointed out by Will Graves of the Associated Press, Hashimoto's performance on the horizontal bar was enough to put him over the top Wednesday after it wasn't quite good enough on the team event:

Daiki Hashimoto though his high bar routine on Monday won Japan the gold.
He was wrong. (Barely).
Today, he was right. A 14.933 has given him Olympic gold, carrying on Uchimura's legacy.

— Will Graves (@WillGravesAP) July 28, 2021

Making Wednesday's moment even more special for Hashimoto was the fact that it happened on his home soil, although no fans could be in attendance due to COVID-19 protocols.

Both China and ROC got back on the men's individual all-around podium for the first time in several years as well.

Xiao became the first Chinese man to medal in the event since Yang Wei won gold at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. Meanwhile, Nagornyy was the first Russian athlete to win an individual men's all-around medal since Alexei Nemov won gold in 2000.

It was a tough day for Team USA, as Brody Malone was the top finisher in 10th, followed by Sam Mikulak, who came in 12th after finishing seventh in 2016.

USA Gymnastics announced Wednesday that Simone Biles has withdrawn from Thursday's individual all-around competition in women's gymnastics at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

In a statement, USA Gymnastics noted that the decision was made for Biles to focus on her mental health following a medical evaluation:

After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition. We wholeheartedly support Simone’s decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many. pic.twitter.com/6ILdtSQF7o

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) July 28, 2021

NBC Olympics also tweeted an update on Biles' status:

Update on Simone Biles:

After further medical evaluation, to focus on her mental health, it has been announced that Simone Biles is out of the All Around. #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/bgeOkUfE1V

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 28, 2021

Per USA Gymnastics, Jade Carey will replace Biles in the individual all-around. Biles will continue to be evaluated before determining whether she will compete in the individual event finals next week.

During Tuesday's team final, Biles stumbled on her vault attempt during the first rotation. She withdrew from the team event shortly thereafter and was replaced by Jordan Chiles.

USA Gymnastics subsequently released a statement, noting that Biles was dealing with a "medical issue" and would be evaluated moving forward:

Official statement: "Simone Biles has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue. She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions."

Thinking of you, Simone! pic.twitter.com/QA1GYHwWTv

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) July 27, 2021

Biles addressed the media after Team USA took silver in the team event. Per ESPN's Michele Steele, Biles alluded to her decision to pull out of the team competition being related to her mental health, saying: "It's been really stressful this Olympic Games...it’s been a long week, a long Olympic process, a long year. I think we're a little too stressed out. We should be out here having fun and that's just not the case."

The 24-year-old added: "Once I came out here, I was like, no the mental is not there. I had to let the girls do it."

During the NBC broadcast (h/t CBS News), Biles said: "Physically, I feel good, I'm in shape. Emotionally, that kind of varies on the time and moment. Coming here to the Olympics and being the head star isn't an easy feat, so we're just trying to take it one day at a time and we'll see."

Biles' exit from the individual all-around means she won't defend her Olympic gold medal in the event from 2016. 

In qualifying at these Olympics, the five-time world champion finished first in the all-around by more than 0.300 points over Brazil's Rebeca Andrade. American Suni Lee was third, followed by three gymnasts representing the Russian Olympic Committee.

Andrade is perhaps the new favorite, although Lee has a chance to continue Team USA's impressive streak in the Olympic women's individual all-around.

The U.S. has taken gold in the all-around at each of the past four Summer Games, with Carly Patterson, Nastia Liukin, Gabby Douglas and Biles prevailing.

In addition to qualifying for the individual all-around, Biles qualified for each of the four apparatus finals. It is unclear if Biles—who won gold in vault and floor exercise and bronze in balance beam at the 2016 Olympics—will compete in any of those finals in Tokyo.

Aly Raisman praised her former United States women's national gymnastics teammate Simone Biles in the wake of her decision to remove herself from the team final at the Tokyo Olympics to prioritize her mental health.

"It is so much pressure," Raisman told ESPN's Michele Steele. "It's the most pressure I've ever seen on a gymnast and maybe even Olympic athlete, and I can't imagine how hard it is for her.

"I'm very proud of Simone, and I can't imagine the bravery that it takes to just say, 'I'm not going to do it today.'"

Biles spoke with reporters after Team USA took the silver medal regarding her decision.

Simone Biles on her withdrawal after the vault: "I felt like it would be better to take a back seat… I didn’t want to risk the team a medal because they worked way too hard for my screw ups." pic.twitter.com/lI43LuFeX5

— Michele Steele (@MicheleSteele) July 27, 2021

Biles on her teammates: "I knew they were going to be just fine... emotions were all over the place, but look they did it without me and they're olympic silver medalists."

— Michele Steele (@MicheleSteele) July 27, 2021

Biles says "hopefully" she can get back out there for the individual events. "We'll see."

— Michele Steele (@MicheleSteele) July 27, 2021

Many people praised Biles following her decision.

Simone Biles won nationals w/broken toes in both feet, worlds w/a kidney stone, and has carried the burden of being a face of sexual assault survivors as a national institution failed to support them

Half of y'all yelling about "toughness" can't handle wearing a mask in Wegman's

— Kavitha A. Davidson (@kavithadavidson) July 27, 2021

The sports world shows love to Simone Biles after she withdrew from the final team event 🙏 pic.twitter.com/I2Unbjpz3e

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 27, 2021

we love you and we are with you 🇺🇸 @Simone_Biles

— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) July 27, 2021

Simone is right, and she’s bravely leading by example. Mental health should be treated the same as physical health—in sports and in society. That’s why I’ve fought to hold health insurers accountable when they try to cover them differently. https://t.co/uOcLjVaOHG

— Katie Porter (@katieporteroc) July 27, 2021

Propsss to @naomiosakaa1 and @Simone_Biles for reminding us the importance of taking care of ourselves!! Grateful we get to watch how they’re gonna keep changing the game for future generations in AND outside their sports

— Jeremy Lin (@JLin7) July 27, 2021

Sending love to you @Simone_Biles 🐐❤️-Team UNITED States of America 🇺🇸

— Kerri Strug (@kerristrug96) July 27, 2021

Biles is one of the most decorated and accomplished athletes in sports history, routinely dazzling fans with mind-bending moves and routines.

But Biles' decision was a stark reminder that she's human and must also look after herself in the wake of immense adversity and pressure to perform at a peak level.

"At the end of the day, we're human too," Biles said after withdrawing, per Will Graves of the Associated Press.

"So, we have to protect our mind and our body, rather than just go out there and do what the world wants us to do."

Biles owns 25 gold medals on the world stage: four in the Olympics, 19 in the World Championships and two in the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup. She owns 34 world medals overall (25 gold, five silver, four bronze).

After the Russian Olympic Committee beat the U.S. women's gymnastics team by over a point in qualifications at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday, many assumed Team USA would bounce back for the team final. After all, they had Simone Biles, right?

But in a shocking turn Tuesday, that was not the case. Biles dropped out of the competition for an undisclosed medical reason, leaving the U.S. gymnasts at a major disadvantage.

Team USA should be proud that its remaining competitors were able to win silver under such difficult circumstances. However, the situation exposed the Americans' overreliance on Biles and could signal the end of an era of their unchallenged dominance.

The Russian Olympic Committee performed relatively well in team finals, coming back from two balance-beam falls in the third rotation to take the gold by more than three points in the four-event competition. But sadly, it was not a victory over the best team in the world. It was contingent upon Biles having a major error on vault in the Americans' opening event and then scratching.

Team USA's remaining three athletes—Grace McCallum, Jordan Chiles and Sunisa Lee—showed real grit in the face of adversity in the team final. Each came through for Biles with a clutch performance.

Chiles, who was originally replaced in the beam lineup after having two falls in qualifications, hit there and on bars. Lee, who is still on the road back from an ankle injury, replaced Biles on floor. They are a testament to how strong and deep this team is even without its star.

However, their loss is a testament to how much this team has relied on Biles' dominance for the past eight years. Not having the GOAT to bring in the big numbers was a big hit to the Americans' final score.

Back in April, ROC national team coordinator Valentina Rodionenko said of Biles: "You remove her and we will easily beat them." That statement proved prescient Tuesday.

The score was close going into the final rotation, with both teams on the floor exercise. But without Biles' massive potential score, it would have taken a series of major errors for the ROC to lose.

Biles was set to compete on all four events Tuesday—she still has eight more routines to go in these Olympics if competes in the all-around and event finals—and has by leaps and bounds the most international experience of the team. Her teammates rely on her to provide leadership and support, and she even did that after being sidelined, as she stayed on the competition floor to support them (and Angelina Melnikova).

Even for an athlete of Biles' caliber, the weight of those expectations is astronomical. In an emotional Instagram post after the team's disappointing qualification outing, Biles said, "I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times."

The expectation to be a team leader may be even stronger now, as leadership does not seem to be coming from on high. After the subpar qualification round, U.S. national team coordinator Tom Forster did not express worry, telling the media "it will all work out" before brusquely leaving a press availability.

Forster's strategy for choosing the team has also been widely criticized, as he opted to choose the team based on rank order after the Olympic trials rather than taking the potentially highest-scoring team. At the time, he claimed that "a few tenths" wouldn't matter, and to be fair, they wouldn't have Tuesday. But having MyKayla Skinner on the team could have brought in valuable experience here, along with potentially strong routines on vault, beam and floor. 

Hopefully his team selection process will be more strategic in the future, because at these Olympics, the ROC has shown that it should not be underestimated. In qualifications, the idea that the gold was all but guaranteed for the U.S. has been dashed, as the ROC harkened back to the days of Russian dominance in the sport when it hit 12 of 12 routines to place first. The ROC deserves a lot of credit for such a brilliant performance in qualifications and to pull off the win in the final despite those two beam falls. 

It's just a shame that it comes with a caveat—that the U.S. was without its star—when in reality, the ROC has one of the strongest teams we've seen in a long time. The team is led by an incredible trio of athletes, including Melnikova, a veteran, and two others who are still up-and-coming. Viktoria Listunova, for one, wouldn't even have been able to participate last year, as she wouldn't have been age-eligible, and 16-year-old Vladislava Urazova is expected to make a splash in the all-around final.

Their strength combined with Biles' impending retirement means that future team finals are bound to get more interesting, and these Games may be a preview of what's to come. But that doesn't mean the U.S. women have failed—or will have failed.

A "bad" day for the U.S. is a great day for most other teams, and a silver medal in the team final with two athletes qualified for every individual final is nothing to scoff at.  

As the ROC gymnasts celebrated their win, Biles congratulated them and stood on the podium with her teammates, happily displaying their silver medals. At the end of the day, having a silver as your fallback option isn't a bad place to be.

American gymnast Simone Biles said Tuesday that she's "going to see" if she can compete in Thursday's individual all-around competition at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo after pulling out of Tuesday's team event.

Biles told the BBC's John Watson (h/t BBC's Natalie Pirks) she would be in attendance Thursday, but she later told reporters her participation in the event wasn't guaranteed.

Biles told Watson she left the team event because she is "dealing with some things internally that will get fixed in the next few days."

According to CNBC's Carl Quintanilla, Biles said she is not injured and suffered only a "little injury to my pride." Biles added: "After the performance I did, I just didn't want to go on."

After falling on her vault during the first rotation of the team event, Biles removed herself from the competition and was replaced by Jordan Chiles.

Per Al Butler of United Press International, a Team USA coach told the NBC broadcast team Biles was dealing with a "mental issue."

USA Gymnastics later released a statement in which it said Biles had a "medical issue" that would be assessed moving forward:

Official statement: "Simone Biles has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue. She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions."

Thinking of you, Simone! pic.twitter.com/QA1GYHwWTv

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) July 27, 2021

With Biles out, Team USA took silver in the team event, while the Russian Olympic Committee won gold.

Per ESPN's Michele Steele, Biles said she left the team event because she didn't want to "risk the team a medal." Biles added that her teammates "worked way too hard for my screw-ups."

Biles also said: "It's been really stressful this Olympic Games...it’s been a long week, a long Olympic process, a long year. I think we're a little too stressed out. We should be out here having fun and that's just not the case."

Team USA entered the Olympics as heavy favorites to take gold in the team event after doing so in both 2012 and 2016, as well as at the past five world championships.

However, due to some uncharacteristic mistakes during qualifying, including some from Biles on the vault and balance beam, ROC scored just over one point higher than Team USA.

The Americans were still favored for gold going into the finals, but Biles falling on her vault put Team USA behind the eight-ball, and they had to settle for silver for the first time since 2008.

Biles remains the heavy favorite to win gold in the individual all-around if she participates after doing so at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The 24-year-old superstar is a five-time gold medalist in the individual all-around at the Gymnastics World Championships as well.

Biles also qualified for the finals in the vault, balance beam, uneven bars and floor exercise, giving her five additional chances to win gold after settling for silver in the team event.

If Biles wins gold in the individual all-around, she will make history by becoming only the second female gymnast to ever win individual all-around gold at back-to-back Olympic Games.

On the heels of Simone Biles leaving the women's gymnastics team competition after just one rotation at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo on Tuesday, Team USA fell to the Russian Olympic Committee.

ROC took gold with a total score of 169.528, while the Americans settled for silver with a score of 166.096. Great Britain won bronze with 164.096 points.

Here is a look at the full finishing order, courtesy of Olympics.com:

1. Russian Olympic Committee: 169.528

2. United States: 166.096

3. Great Britain: 164.096

4. Italy: 163.638

5. Japan: 163.280

6. France: 163.264

7. China: 161.196

8. Belgium: 159.695

Biles was removed from the competition after falling on her vault attempt. Biles scored just 13.766 on the vault, which was well below her usual score:

Reports are stating that Simone Biles is being attended to by a trainer and has left the field of play at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre #Tokyo2020 #SimoneBiles has not warmed up for the uneven bars, USA's second apparatus and reserve Jordan Chiles has.

More to come.. pic.twitter.com/dGyacVsVQO

— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) July 27, 2021

Jordan Chiles replaced Biles on the uneven bars, and Al Butler of United Press International reported a Team USA coach told the NBC broadcast that Biles exited the competition because of a "mental issue" and not an injury.

USA Gymnastics later released a statement, saying Biles had a "medical issue" and would be assessed moving forward:

Official statement: "Simone Biles has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue. She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions."

Thinking of you, Simone! pic.twitter.com/QA1GYHwWTv

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) July 27, 2021

Despite losing arguably the greatest gymnast of all time early in the team competition, Team USA remained within striking distance throughout thanks to strong performances from Chiles, Sunisa Lee and Grace McCallum on the uneven bars and balance beam.

The Americans were only about a half-point behind the ROC when the final rotation began, but disaster struck during the floor exercise. Chiles slipped and fell late in her routine, scoring just 11.700 points.

While the miscue was disappointing for 20-year-old and Team USA, Juliet Macur of the New York Times attempted to put her overall performance in perspective:

Jordan Chiles scored 11.7 points for her floor routine, after a fall, and the U.S.'s chances for gold just disappeared. Kudos to Chiles, though, for taking Simone Biles's place on the uneven bars and balance beam when she didn't expect to compete on them. She can be proud.

— Juliet Macur (@JulietMacur) July 27, 2021

With the second-place finish, Team USA's run of Olympic gold in the team competition came to an end at two in a row, although the Americans are still the reigning five-time world champions in the team event.

The silver medal is the first of Biles' Olympic career after she won four golds and one bronze at the 2016 Summer Games. Meanwhile, Lee, Chiles and McCallum all won their first Olympic medals on Tuesday.

As for ROC, the quartet of Liliia Akhaimova, Viktoriia Listunova, Angelina Melnikova and Vladislava Urazova brought a Russian team its first gold in women's team gymnastics since the Unified Team took gold in 1992. 

A ruling last year by the Court of Arbitration for Sport banned Russia's team name as punishment for an extensive doping program and cover-ups, and all Russian athletes at the Tokyo Games are competing for the ROC.