Sunisa Lee was inspired by Simone Biles' presence as she claimed gold in the women's all-around gymnastics at the Tokyo Olympics.
Lee is the first Hmong American to compete for the United States at the Olympics and, in Biles' absence, stepped up to deliver the nation's fifth successive gold in the event.
The 18-year-old joins Carly Patterson (2004), Nastia Liukin (2008), Gabby Douglas (2012) and Biles (2016) on that list.
Biles, a four-time gold medallist at the Rio Games, competed in only one event in Tuesday's team competition at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre, registering the lowest score of the first rotation before she then left the floor with a trainer.
She then withdrew from the event, revealing she had chosen to prioritise her mental health and stating she had been "fighting demons".
Biles, 24, subsequently chose not to compete in Thursday's final, but was on hand to support her team from the sidelines.
"It sucks that I couldn’t have Simone on the floor with me, but just to have her in the arena was very helpful because she is an inspiration to me and someone I look up to," said a jubilant Lee.
Biles' absence did present its own challenges, however.
"I just had to switch gears because we came in competing for second place. So when the opportunity was there I knew I had to do what I normally do because this whole season I was second to her [Biles]." Lee added.
"I felt there was a lot of pressure on me because I have been second to her the whole season, so I knew that people were kind of counting on me to either get second or win a gold medal.
"I tried not to focus on that because I knew I would get too nervous, and I probably would have gotten in my head."
Lee also hailed the advice she received from the more experienced members of her team, continuing: "They told me to go out there and not worry about anything else. I was starting to put a little too much pressure on myself. Knowing that Simone was gone, I was starting to put that pressure on myself that I had to come back with a medal.
"I tried not to think about it and just focus on myself. That is what they told me to do, to just do what I normally do and that is when I compete the best."
Rebeca Andrade of Brazil claimed silver, and she paid tribute to Biles' decision to withdraw to focus on her own wellbeing.
"It was different for me because Simone is incredible," she said.
"Knowing why she left the competition was very difficult. People need to understand we are not robots. We are human beings, and we have feelings like anyone else. That is the same in the competition.
"We know what it feels like to feel the pressure, but I tried to keep my cool. I tried to put into practice everything that I learned with my psychologist, and it worked. I did what I could and I could not be happier. I wish the best to everyone."
I’m done – Max Whitlock announces Paris Olympics will be his final competition
Max Whitlock has announced this summer’s Paris Olympics will mark the end of his glittering gymnastics career after more than two decades of history-making moments and “muck-ups”.
The 31-year-old, who has won three Olympic gold medals and three world titles, says he no longer fears life beyond the competitive side of the sport which drove him to become one of the greatest British athletes of his generation.
And whether it involves his quest to extend that remarkable legacy, or to win games of ‘Pick a Pair’ with his five-year-old daughter Willow, who will watch him at an Olympics for the first time in Paris, Whitlock’s competitive fires continue to burn as ferociously as ever.
“Working towards that end goal of my fourth and final Olympics is so exciting, and it will hopefully put me in a position to push the boundaries further, and make this final chapter the best it can possibly be,” Whitlock told the PA news agency.
“To have the opportunity to do that in front of Willow feels amazing. I always said I wanted to continue until she was old enough to watch me in competitions, and I love that she will get that chance in Paris.
“I get the feeling Willow is mega-proud. She loves going round telling people I’m the Olympic champion, and she thinks I win everything. Even when we’re playing ‘Pick a Pair’ together, my competitive instinct doesn’t stop.”
Whitlock’s almost decade-long career as a global champion, starting when he edged out pommel rival Louis Smith to become Britain’s first individual world champion in Glasgow in 2015, has masked periods of struggle and self-doubt.
“I’ve mucked up more times than a lot of people think,” insisted Whitlock, who missed out on a medal most recently at last year’s World Championships in Antwerp, where he came off the apparatus midway through his final routine.
“I’ve been to so many competitions, so many European Championships, where I’ve not been able to achieve what I wanted.
“But what it does is it massively hones you, it focuses you to go back into the gym and work on fixing things. Sometimes, it’s those mistakes that get you in the mindset to get where you want to be.”
Whitlock won two Olympic gold medals – on floor and pommel – within two hours on an unforgettable Sunday afternoon in Rio, as well as defending his world crown in Montreal and Stuttgart in 2017 and 2019 respectively.
But his fondest memory remains his first significant step on the global stage at London 2012, where he was part of a history-making bronze medal-winning men’s team and also took individual bronze on pommel, paving the way for his future exploits.
“London was such a big thing for me, to be completely doubted but to come away with those bronze medals, and it gave me the motivation and inspiration that I could go on from there and compete anywhere,” recalled Whitlock.
“I was approaching my prime and I felt invincible. The four years after London were amazing because it was about seeing how far I could take it. I felt like I was floating. If I hadn’t made London, my career might have turned out very differently.”
Whitlock’s third Olympic gold, in an almost empty Ariake Arena in Tokyo, preceded 18 months of soul-searching, during which he privately struggled with the concept that his competitive career was drawing to a close.
Almost three years on, however, his growing family and flourishing business, rolling out bespoke gymnastics courses for children, have given Whitlock renewed confidence that life without the constant calling to improve and excel can be equally rewarding.
“I feel like I’ve learned from the hard-stop of the Tokyo experience, when I was adamant that I was never coming back,” continued Whitlock.
“A lot of things weren’t really ticking the box. I had nothing to wake up to in the morning and think, ‘I’m going to work hard to try to achieve this.’ I’ve said I felt like a waste of space. But it’s different now.
“I’m equally passionate about the business I’ve set up, that creates a massive impact among young children, and the two complement each other because the enthusiasm I get from that is helping me have a really positive outlook in the gym.
“I know deep inside that Paris 2024 feels like the right time to say, ‘I’m done’. For 24 years I’ve been pushing to do everything I possibly can.
“I’ve got one final opportunity to grab, and I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.”
Jamaica School of Gymnastics, Westmoreland Gymnastics and Painite Gymnastics excel at meets in the USA and Barbados over the weekend
Competitors from the Jamaica School of Gymnastics had an excellent showing at the Cats Beach Blast held at the Palm Beach Central High School in Florida from April 6-7.
The 19-member team managed to take home nine gold, six silver and seven bronze medals. The team also claimed two first place and three third place trophies.
The team placed first in the Level Two gymnast category. Juanique Hunter had scores of 9.5 and 9.350 to take gold in the beam and bars, respectively.
“I’m very proud of myself. I never expected to get first on bars because I know I’m bad on bars but I’m really proud of myself for getting first overall,” Hunter said.
Elissa Edwards took gold in the floors and vault with scores of 9.500 and 9.175.
“I wasn’t really expecting to get first place, I was more expecting fourth of fifth because I did bad on beams but I’m really happy to get another first-place trophy,” she said.
In the Level One gymnast category, Isabel Misir had a score of 9.1 to win the vault while Malkia Robinson produced 9.75 to win the bars.
Elsewhere, Westmoreland Gymnastics and Painite Gymnastics located in Manchester competed in Barbados as a combined team at the Trident Classic at the Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium in Wildey on April 6.
The team came first overall in their category and had a medal count of 46 all in the first, second and third places.
They also captured seven trophies and took home the first-place trophy for the pre-comp category.
“It’s truly a good look for the sport of Gymnastics having three clubs competing overseas over the weekend. They made a mark for Jamaica in winning both the teams and individual events,” said President of the Jamaica Gymnastics Association, Nicole Grant.
“It truly speaks volumes about the development of our coaches who are now better able to understand the technicalities of the sport and passing it on to the athletes who are just eager and happy to learn and improve day by day,” she added.
Max Whitlock wins pommel horse gold at British Gymnastics Championships
Olympic champion Max Whitlock took pommel horse gold at the British Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool on Sunday.
The 31-year-old, who returned to action last year after retaining his Olympic pommel horse title in Tokyo in 2021, won with a score of 15.250 at the M&S Bank Arena.
Whitlock is building up to what would be his fourth Games this summer in Paris, and he said: “It feels good. It feels good to be back.
“Since after Tokyo it’s been a bit of a roller coaster for me with a year out of the sport, coming back in, and it’s crazy that we’re in the Olympic year now.
“So 2024 has really started…and I’m really pleased with that.”
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