Simone Biles cruises to 9th national title

Biles finished with the highest two-day score on all four events, something she’d done only once before at nationals.

Simone Biles waves during introductions for the U.S. Gymnastics Championships Sunday, June 2, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — There was a time when Simone Biles found "beauty in the blindness" before the Olympics, relishing in what she didn’t know. That was eight years ago when she was a teenager, still somewhat "ditzy."

Those days are long gone. Now 27, Biles has grown beyond the tunnel vision that most great athletes have in pursuit of greatness, able to see beyond herself.

This broader perspective was evident in the national title she won on Sunday night — her ninth, with an all-around total of 119.750 — compared to her first over a decade ago.

The defining moment of Biles’ victory wasn’t a twist, turn, or jump, but a walk. It came when she watched 2020 Olympic champion and friend Sunisa Lee spin awkwardly in the air during her vault and land on her back, a look of surprise and fear on her face.

"I was kind of thinking that this was over," Lee said.

Biles, understanding Lee’s situation better than anyone, appeared at her side unprompted. Three years ago at the Tokyo Games, a similar vault mishap led Biles to withdraw from multiple competitions, sparking a global conversation on the importance of mental health.

Watching Lee, who has struggled with kidney issues affecting her training, Biles left her World Champions Centre teammates to offer support, the kind she relied on in Tokyo.

"I know how traumatizing it is, especially on a big stage like this," Biles said. "And I didn't want her to get in her head, so we just went and talked about it."

They stepped off the floor to talk, with Biles reminding Lee that she "could do hard things." When they returned, Biles cheered Lee on as she performed a brilliant routine on the uneven bars, scoring a 14.500 and finishing fourth.

"I know I was having a hard time and she was just there to help lift me up," Lee said.

Biles is at a stage in her unparalleled career where her joy in the sport is not just about her performance. She smiled the most when talking about her five World Champions Centre teammates — most a decade younger — who will join her at the Olympic trials in Minneapolis later this month.

"That's kind of what excites me because I think they have long careers ahead of them," Biles said. "So if I can do anything to help them, right now and in the future, that's what I'm going to do."

She is aware of the spotlight awaiting her in Paris and aims to set an example for others on handling the pressure. Regular therapy, even during meet weeks, helps her focus on what she can control, like her gymnastics.

In front of an audience that included her husband, Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens, Biles delivered a four-rotation clinic marked by jaw-dropping athleticism, precision, and swagger. She achieved the highest two-day score on all four events, a feat she had done only once before at nationals (in 2018).

Her only misstep came on vault, where she overcompensated and landed on her back during the Yurchenko double pike. She still received a 15.000, a testament to a vault that no other woman has completed in competition and only a few men have attempted. She quickly regrouped, earning a 15.1 for her Cheng vault, putting a ninth national title within reach. No other U.S. gymnast has more than seven.

While Biles remains dominant, competition for the other four spots on the five-woman U.S. team for Paris is intense. Skye Blakely, 19, performed impressively and heads to Minneapolis with momentum. Lee, elegant on bars and beam, competed in her first elite all-around since Tokyo. Olympians Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey remain contenders despite falls on beam, and third-place finisher Kayla DiCello slipped off the uneven bars.

Shilese Jones, the top all-around gymnast in the U.S. after Biles, withdrew from the championships due to a shoulder injury but plans to be ready for trials. Kaliya Lincoln, 18, also aims to compete after a minor injury. Both are serious contenders for Paris.

Biles’ spot is essentially secured, as it has always been.