Olympics gymnastics team finals: Live updates on the U.S. women’s team | AP News

Simone Biles leads the U.S. women into the gymnastics team final today at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Americans are heavily favored to win gold after finishing runner-up to Russia in 2021.

Competition begins at 6:15 p.m. CEST (12:15 a.m. EST) at Bercy Arena.

Jade Carey won’t get a chance to defend the floor exercise gold medal she won three years ago in Tokyo, a victory that served as a vindication for the winding path she took to the Games.

An uncharacteristically mistake-riddled routine during qualifying Sunday led Carey to finish well outside the top eight at the Paris Olympics. She acknowledged afterward she hadn’t been feeling well, not exactly an optimal way to prepare for a 45-second routine that requires strength, precision and stamina.

The 24-year-old did earn a spot in the vault final following a third-place finish behind Simone Biles and Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade.

▶Read more about Jade Carey

A star-studded crowd attended the return to the Olympics of Biles for qualifying on Sunday.

Among the high-profile fans were Hollywood star Tom Cruise and Oscar-winning actor Jessica Chastain sitting under the roof of the packed Bercy Arena on Sunday.

Lady Gaga, who delivered a dazzling performance as the first musical act during the opening ceremony earlier this week, was also in the mix. The Grammy-winning performer posted a video of Biles’ routine on the beam on her Instagram account, with the caption: “She nailed it, what an honor to be so close!”

Snoop Dogg had front-row seats while Greta Gerwig, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, Nick Jonas and Anna Wintour also attended Biles’ competition.

▶ Read more about the star-studded audience for qualifying

The French women’s dream of an Olympic medal in gymnastics ended with falls and tears.

The collective meltdown in front of a buoyant Paris crowd saw the team crashing down to earth in qualifying. The defeat was brutal, and totally unexpected, for a group made of seasoned individuals boosted by the enthusiasm of an up-and-coming teenager.

“I feel really sad,” said Melanie de Jesus dos Santos, who has been training with Simone Biles in Texas over the past two years. “I feel like everything I did the last two, three years did not work out today. I feel like I’ve worked for nothing the past years.”

France finished 11th with a total of 158.797 points, well behind Biles’ United States and outside the eight qualifying spots for the final.

▶ Read more about Olympics gymnastics qualifying

On the morning of her first big final at the Paris Olympics, Simone Biles opted for a very French breakfast. She was treated to classic pain au chocolat, the French name for chocolate croissants. The Parisians love it, and Biles, too.

The delicacies were brought to Biles at the athletes’ village, her coach Cecile Landi said in an Instagram post.

“Everyone can call down! Freshly baked pain au chocolat were delivered to Simone this morning,” Landi wrote.

Simone Biles dominated during qualifying with the U.S. women’s gymnastics team at the Paris Olympics on Sunday despite limping on her left leg and saying she had an issue with her calf.

U.S. coach Cecile Landi said only that Biles’ injury was minor, has been bothering her for a couple of weeks and there was no discussion of sidelining the seven-time Olympic medalist.

“I can’t express it,” Landi said. “I’m really proud of her and what she’s been through and what she’s showing the world what she’s capable of doing.”

Biles and the rest of Team USA did not speak to reporters after qualifying.

▶ Read more on Biles’ calf injury

Simone Biles and the rest of the U.S. women’s gymnastics team walked onto the floor at Bercy Arena on Sunday in leotards adorned with thousands of crystals, the kind designed to attract as much attention as possible.

Don’t mistake all that glamour — both on the floor and in the stands, where Tom Cruise and Ariana Grande were among those who took in the spectacle — for a lack of grit.

The oldest team the Americans have ever brought to the Games has endured plenty through the years, from health scares to losses in their personal life. Those experiences have prepared them for whatever may come, perhaps Biles most of all.

With Biles — achy calf and all — putting up the highest score on vault and floor exercise and reigning Olympic champion Sunisa Lee looking perhaps as good as ever on uneven bars, the U.S. posted a total of 172.296, doing little to dampen the expectation that Tuesday night’s team final will be more of a coronation for a team that has called this trip to the Games part of their “Redemption Era.”

▶ Read more about the Olympics gymnastics qualifying round

Competition begins at 6:15 p.m. CEST (12:15 p.m. EST) at Bercy Arena. The event will air live on NBC and stream live on the Peacock app.

▶Read more about how to watch the 2024 Paris Olympics

The 27-year-old Simone Biles is in the lineup to compete in all four events of the team final despite a calf injury. Biles tweaked her left calf while warming up for floor exercise during qualifying on Sunday. She still topped the all-around with the highest scores on floor and vault.

Competition begins at 6:15 p.m. CEST (12:15 a.m. EST) at Bercy Arena. The Americans are favored to win gold after finishing runner-up to Russia in 2021.

Biles’ teammate Jordan Chiles also will compete in all four events. Chiles finished fourth in the all-around during qualifying behind Biles, Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade and 2020 Olympic champion Sunisa Lee.