EXPLAINER: How the Russians caught the U S in gymnastics apnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from apnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Simone Biles had a rare off day with poor landings on beam, vault and floor
The 24-year-old also failed to make the final of the uneven bars in Tokyo
However, Biles could still surpass her 2016 Olympic tally of four gold medals
Team USA s Jordan Chiles, MyKayla Skinner and Grace McCallum also struggled
For Team GB, twins Jennifer and Jessica Gadirova made the all-around final
Updated July 25, 2021 at 7:26 AM ET
TOKYO The U.S. women s gymnastic team took the mat for the first time at the Tokyo Olympics, and a few stumbles – including from star Simone Biles – allowed Russia s team to take the lead.
Russia came out one point ahead in the total team score – 171.62 to 170.56. Biles faced multiple penalties but still posted the top score of the day so far.
The U.S. team came into the competition as the heavy favorite, and its star Simone Biles is widely considered the greatest gymnast of all time. For the U.S to not be in the lead at the end of the qualifier is very unexpected.
Simone Biles will get a chance to atone for an uninspiring qualifying effort on Sunday and get a shot at six gold medals that would enshrine the American gymnast in the pantheon of all-time Olympic greats.
Already regarded as one of the sport’s all-time greats, Biles arrived in Tokyo targeting a record haul.
The American currently shares the women’s gymnastics record of capturing four golds at a single Olympics with a number of others, including Larisa Latynina, Vera Caslavska and Ecaterina Szabo.
The 24-year-old had been expected to launch an all-out assault on the podium and record books in Tokyo, but her first appearance at the Ariake Gymnastics Stadium was not without a bit of stress and drama as she had to wait until well into the evening before finding out if she was among the eight qualifiers to make the cut for the asymmetric bars and balance beam finals.
Japan celebrates gold rush on day of upsets at Tokyo Olympics
In gymnastics, US superstar and defending champion Simone Biles produced a rusty performance in qualifying
By Rob Woollard
July 26, 2021 04:41 BST
A Japanese skateboarder claimed a piece of Olympic history as the host nation enjoyed a gold rush at the Tokyo Games on Sunday, while France inflicted the first defeat on a men s USA basketball team since Athens 2004.
There were 18 gold medals up for grabs, including the first ever in skateboarding, one of several new sports introduced in Tokyo in a bid to attract younger fans.
A perfectly scripted final saw Japanese world champion Yuto Horigome strike gold.