Olympia – USA with gymnastics star Biles in the team qualifier behind Russia – Sports

TOKYO (AFP) – U.S. gymnasts around star Simone Biles missed the expected top spot in qualifying for the all-around team event.

The Olympic champion from Rio de Janeiro and the first candidate had to settle on Sunday at the Olympic Games in Tokyo with 170,562 points and second place after three out of five sets behind the athletes of the Russian Olympic Committee. The Russians collected 171,629 points in a four-way battle consisting of balance beam, jumping, uneven bars and the floor. China ranked third in the average ranking (166.863).

The German Gymnastics Federation (DTB) classes were challenged with Elisabeth Seitz, Kim Boye (both Stuttgart), Sarah Voss (Cologne) and Pauline Schaefer (Chements) in Group 5 only in the evening (local time). Five years ago in Rio, the German quartet finished sixth out of eight finalists.

Four-time Olympic champion Biles showed weaknesses on the ground, while vaulting and on the balance beam, as he did without the newly created Yurchenko with a double back somersault while vaulting. However, after three sets, the 24-year-old held the lead in the all-around singles competition by 57.731 points over fellow countryman Sunisa Lee (57.166).

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210725-99-519087 / 2