Simone Biles begins her bid for a sixth Olympic medal

US gymnastics phenom Simone Biles chases her sixth Olympic medal as women’s gymnastics team starts quest for gold

  • Biles, the transcendent American star, begins her latest run for gold with her team after 3 p.m. in Tokyo (2 a.m. in the United States). All day, gymnasts are attempting to qualify for team and individual finals. 
  • The Americans competed on the floor exercise with McCallum up first, followed by Lee, Chiles and Biles. 
  • Biles has not lost an all-around competition since 2013, an eight-year era that has included 19 world championship titles and four Olympic golds. 
  • Find out the latest Tokyo Olympic news including schedule, medal table and results right here

After a five-year wait, Simone Biles was back at it Sunday at the Olympics as the super star – with four gold medals in the bag from Rio 2016 – seeks five more in the Tokyo games and aims to make history.

She is bidding to become the first woman in more than a half-century to retain the all-around title.

One American observer said: ‘Simone is undoubtedly the star of these Olympics. There is no more Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. She is the hottest ticket in town by far.’

Simone Biles could leave Tokyo with a career haul of nine Olympic gold medals.

Simone Biles could leave Tokyo with a career haul of nine Olympic gold medals.

As sleepy-eyed Americans tuned in around 2:30am for Biles’ first appearance in Tokyo, she vyed for the team gold along with Grace McCallum, Sunisa Lee and Jordan Chiles.

The Americans competed on the floor exercise with McCallum up first, followed by Lee, Chiles and Biles. 

One American observer said: ‘Simone is undoubtedly the star of these Olympics. There is no more Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. She is the hottest ticket in town by far.’

But it wasn’t the greatest of starts for the star, as at one stage she tumbled off the matting and faulted. But she scored higher than her first three teammates with 14.133.

The American could leave Tokyo with a career haul of nine Olympic gold medals, equaling the record set by Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina in Tokyo in 1964.

Biles has not lost an all-around competition since 2013, an eight-year era that has included 19 world championship titles and four Olympic golds.

Biles’ NFL boyfriend Jonathan Owens of the Houston Texans tuned in on his TV like millions of others to watch her routine, performed to a Japanese pop song. 

Simone Biles has not lost an all-around competition since 2013, an eight-year era that has included 19 world championship titles and four Olympic golds.

Simone Biles has not lost an all-around competition since 2013, an eight-year era that has included 19 world championship titles and four Olympic golds.

Simone Biles on the floor exercise during  at Ariake Gymnastics Centre Sunday.

Simone Biles on the floor exercise during  at Ariake Gymnastics Centre Sunday. 

Sunisa Lee on floor exercise

Sunisa Lee on floor exercise 

Grace McCallum on floor exercise

Grace McCallum on floor exercise

Jordan Chiles on floor exercise

Jordan Chiles on floor exercise

(From left) Jade Carey, Grace McCallum, Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles, MyKayla Skinner, and Simone Biles of Team United States attend men’s qualification in Tokyo 2020 Saturday. 

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