TOKYO – Simone Biles pulled out of the Olympic team final on Tuesday, leaving the competition after struggling to land a vault.
“Simone has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue,” USA Gymnastics spokeswoman Carol Fabrizio told USA TODAY Sports. “She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions.”
For the final three events, Biles stood on the sideline in her warm-ups, cheering her teammates. With the U.S. women cutting into Russia’s lead on balance beam, she danced alongside Jordan Chiles.
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Without her, the U.S. women did not have enough to match the Russians, who claimed gold by more than three points.
Afterward, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach came over and spoke with Biles.
Biles left the competition floor moments after she struggled to land a vault that is second nature for her. On the team’s first event, she shockingly bailed on an Amanar – one of her more difficult vaults – and just barely landed a one-and-a-half.
A visibly upset Biles talked with one of her personal coaches, Cecile Landi, and the team doctor, Marcia Faustin. Though she put on her grips to prepare for uneven bars next, she left the competition floor.
When she returned, she took off her grips and put on her warm-ups.
It was unclear why Biles pulled out or if she was injured.
Her departure meant the U.S. women had to rely on their three remaining gymnasts – Grace McCallum, Jordan Chiles and Sunisa Lee.
In team finals, countries put up three gymnasts and count all three scores but have flexibility of who competes on each apparatus with four women on each team.
