Biles wins 9th national title ahead of Olympics
She swept every individual event at the U.S. Gymnastics Championship
What happened
Simone Biles won her ninth national title Sunday at the U.S. Gymnastics Championship after sweeping every individual event over the two days of competition. No other gymnast has won more than seven U.S. national titles. Biles, 27, earned an all-around score of 119.750, almost six points higher than Skye Blakely's second-place 113.850.
Who said what
"I use the phrase 'aging like fine wine,'" Biles said. "It's just getting better and better. We'll see. Hopefully we get to ride this out for the rest of the year."
"Winning a national title is not supposed to look this easy," The Washington Post said. "The pressure of an Olympic year and the otherworldly expectations that follow Biles everywhere haven't rattled her," but after her early exit from 2021's Tokyo games, she will need these strong performances to conquer the stress of Paris.
What next?
Biles and 15 other gymnasts will compete for five spots on Team USA at the Olympic Trials in Minneapolis June 27-30. "There is plenty of competition for the other four spots," The Associated Press said, but "Biles' ticket is essentially punched. Same as it ever was."
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