As the 2021 Summer Olympics get underway, here's what to know about the women's team competing in Tokyo.
With the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, finally here, the United States women’s gymnastics team hopes to come out on top once again. Led by returning favorite, Simone Biles, the team looks to extend its two-year consecutive gold medal streak, after topping the podium in 2016 and 2012.
In addition to Biles, who was a part of the 2016 team, Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles and Grace McCallum will compete in the team event while Jade Carey and MyKayla Skinner will represent the U.S. in individual events.
As the competition gets underway, starting with qualification rounds on Saturday, July 24 and culminating in the team finals on Tuesday, July 27 followed by individual finals on Thursday, July 29, here’s everything you need to know about the U.S women’s gymnastics team competing at the Olympics and their results in the competition.
Simone Biles
After becoming a household name in 2016 while competing the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the 24-year-old G.O.A.T. will lead the team in the overall competition (bars, beam, vault and floor).
Biles has four skills named after her, meaning she’s the only person to have performed them in any competition. They include the Biles I and II on floor exercise, the Biles -- a Yurchenko half on plus two twists -- on vault, and the Biles, her double-double dismount on beam.
In total, Biles has five Olympic medals, four gold and one bronze. If she takes home at least three more while competing in Tokyo, she’ll become the most awarded U.S. female gymnast in history, besting Shannon Miller, who has seven.
Jordan Chiles
The 20-year-old gymnast was chosen by the selection committee after coming in third place, behind Biles and Lee, during the Olympic Trials. She also placed second on the uneven bars and third on floor exercise.
This follows closely after the National Championships, where she placed third overall, and the Winter Cup, where she delivered her best performance to date, winning the overall competition as well as floor exercise and vault.
After qualifications, in addition to representing the team in the finals, Biles will compete in the all-around individual competition as well as beam, floor exercise, uneven bars and vault.
Sunisa Lee
At 18 years old, Lee is one of the team’s youngest competitors. During the Olympic Trials, she finished a few points by Biles in the all around competition, securing her spot at the Games. After coming out on top in the uneven bars, Lee is expected to dominate that apparatus in Tokyo by performing a routine that is considered the most difficult in the world.
In addition to representing the team in the finals, Lee will compete in the over-around individual competition as well as beam and uneven bars.
Grace McCallum
At 18, McCallum is the second youngest U.S. representative. Despite coming in fourth overall during the Olympic Trials, she was part of the gold-winning 2019 World Championship team and took home the bronze medal on beam, her most consistent apparatus, at the 2021 U.S. Championship.
After qualifications, McCallum will represent the team in the finals.
Jade Carey
Ahead of the U.S. Olympic Trials, Carey secured an individual invitation to the Summer Olympics based on her performance at the Apparatus World Cup, where she won both the floor exercise and vault.
She’ll compete as an individual during the Games, and will not be part of the team competition. After qualifications, she is vying for medals in floor exercise and vault.
MyKayla Skinner
Skinner previously was an alternate on the Rio team. And after missing out on a spot of this year’s four-person team by .300 points, Skinner was selected to compete at the Summer Olympics as an individual, filling one of the two solo spots created for the competition.
Known for floor exercise and vault, the 24-year-old will be able to compete in any of the four events during the individual competition finals as long as she is among the top two finishers from the U.S.
Sadly, after qualifications, Skinner was knocked out of the competition and will not appear at the finals. This marks her last performance as an Olympian. Prior to the Games, she said that she was retiring to focus on furthering her education.
Alternates
In addition to the current roster, the U.S. has four replacement athletes, including Kayla DiCello, Emma Malabuyo, Leanne Wong as well as Kara Eaker, who reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Japan.
According to ESPN, she, along with Wong, have been put into quarantine. “The Olympic athletes moved to separate lodging accommodations and a separate training facility, as originally planned, and will continue their preparation for the Games,” the organization said in a statement. “The entire delegation continues to be vigilant and will maintain strict protocols while they are in Tokyo.”
The 2021 Tokyo Olympics run from July 21 to Aug. 8, and will be broadcast on NBC, NBCOlympics.com, on the NBC Sports app, and on Peacock, NBCUniversal's streaming service. In the meantime, stay tuned to ETonline.com for complete Olympics coverage.
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