Simone Biles, the legendary American gymnast, aims to reclaim her Olympic all-around title in Paris, becoming the first woman to regain the crown after her withdrawal in Tokyo due to the “Twisties.” The 27-year-old, already the most decorated US Olympic gymnast with eight medals, seeks to add to her legacy with a new skill on uneven bars.
Biles faces stiff competition from teammate Sunisa Lee, the reigning Olympic all-around champion, who has overcome undisclosed kidney conditions to return to form. Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, who won silver in Tokyo, is another contender.
The athletics program kicks off with the men’s and women’s 20km walk races. Italy’s Massimo Stano aims to defend his gold, while Sweden’s Perseus Karlstrom and Japan’s Koki Ikeda pose threats. Antonella Palmisano of Italy will defend her Olympic title in the women’s race.
In the pool, Canadian prodigy Summer McIntosh, already a 400m medley champion and 400m freestyle runner-up, will compete in the women’s 200m butterfly final. Defending champion Zhang Yufei of China is among her rivals.
South Africa’s Tatjana Smith, the 200m breaststroke gold medalist in Tokyo, aims to become the first woman since Penny Heyns in 1996 to win the double.
Other gold medals will be awarded in kayak canoeing, fencing, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, and golf. The variable Paris weather, which has ranged from torrential rain to heatwave, could impact the competitions.
