Simone Biles And Sunisa Lee Make History Already At 2024 Paris Olympics

Team USA’s Simone Biles and Sunisa Lee have made an impact on U.S. gymnastics in just the qualification round. On Sunday, July 28 both Biles and Lee were named the two gymnasts to move on to compete in the Olympic all-around competition. The women are already making history at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games because this is the first time two Olympic all-around champions are set to compete against each other—from the same country.

Simone Biles, most notably known as one of the greatest gymnasts of all time, was crowned an Olympic all-around champion in 2016 at the Rio Summer Games. Not only did Biles win gold for individual all-around, but she also took home hold in the vault and floor exercise events. She also won a gold medal as part of Team USA for the team final. It was Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Madison Kocian, and Laurie Hernandez who made up the iconic “final five.”

The seven-time Olympic medalist also won a silver and bronze medal in Tokyo, although she did withdraw from the competition after suffering from the “twisties.”

Biles has five skills named after her, including her Biles II vault skill that she landed at the 2024 Paris Games. She is expected to attempt a new uneven bar skill at the Games, and if she is successful, it will be the sixth skill named after her. It would be her first one on the uneven bar.

Photo: Team USA | Facebook

She submitted the skill to the FIG Women’s Technical Committee in July. It includes a hip circle forward with one and a half turns and a handstand.

Sunisa Lee is the 2020 Tokyo Games all-around champion. She won with a 57.433 score. Her score included a 14.600 on the vault, 15.300 on the uneven bars, 13.833 on the balance beam, and 13.700 on the floor exercise. She won a team silver and bronze in the uneven bars, her best event.

Lee also faced health concerns post-Tokyo, suffering from kidney disease that had her doubting ever returning to the sport Lee and teammate Jordan Chiles were in a tight race to be named the second competitor from Team USA to make it to the 2024 Paris Games. It was less than a tenth of a point that separated the two. Lee ultimately moved on to be in the all-around standing.

Only two athletes per country can compete in the all-around. However, Chiles will compete as a floor finalist.

Team USA competes in the 2024 Paris Olympics Women’s Gymnastics finals on Tuesday, July 30.