Simone Biles headlines Olympic team, says U.S. gymnasts stronger than Tokyo showing

July 1 (UPI) -- Simone Biles is officially headed to Paris. The gymnastics star was among five women named to Team USA after Olympic trials dominance. She says this version of the squad is stronger than the one from the 2021 Olympics.

Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey -- who competed alongside Biles at the last Summer Games -- and first-time Olympian Hezly Rivera round out the American team for Paris 2024. The group secured their spots through the final night of the trials Sunday in Minneapolis.

"I think everybody probably looks at the team as, 'OK, they went to Tokyo and this, this and this happened, and what are they going to do here in Paris?' Biles told reporters.

"But for us, I know we're stronger than what we showed in Tokyo. So, I think it has to be for us because it can't be for anybody else, because that's not why we do it. We do it for ourselves and the love for the sport and the love for representing the U.S. So, we're gonna go out there and we're gonna do our best."

Biles, 27, will be the oldest American gymnast to compete on the U.S. women's team in 72 years (1952). The seven-time Olympic medalist -- with four golds -- will again be a heavy favorite to secure podium spots. Biles, who also was favored at Tokyo 2020 before needing a mental-health-related break from those games, has constantly discussed the increased role of therapy during her journey back to the Summer Games stage.

"I never pictured going to another Olympic games after Tokyo just because of the circumstances," Biles said. "I never thought I'd go back in the gym again, be twisting and feel free."

Biles said "being in a good mental spot" and seeing her therapist every Thursday were the reasons she made her third Olympic team. She secured her spot with a two-day all-around score of 117.25, the best of the trials competitors. Lee (111.675) and Chiles (111.425) rounded out the three best all-around scorers. Carey (111.350) and Rivera (111.150) placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

"Everything has been hitting me like a freaking roller coaster," Lee said. "I have not stopped crying. I'm just so happy and so so glad that I never gave up, because there were so many times that I thought about just quitting and walking away from the sport because I didn't think I'd ever get to this point.

"I didn't want to let myself down."

Biles posted the best score in the floor exercise and was second-best in the uneven bars, behind Lee. Chiles placed third on bars, behind Lee and Biles. She also placed third in floor, behind Biles and Carey. Chiles was second in vault, behind Carey.

Rivera, 16, tied Joscelyn Robertson for the best score on beam. Robertson and Leanne Wong, who placed third on vault, were named traveling replacements for Paris.

Carey, 24, will look to defend her Olympic title on floor in Paris. Lee, 21, won all-around gold and took bronze in bars in Tokyo, where Team USA earned a silver medal behind the Russian Olympic Committee. Chiles, 23, was not an individual medalist in Tokyo.

"I think we really want a team gold," Lee said. "This is the same team, basically, as 2020, so it's kinda like a redemption tour. I'm excited to go back out there with the girls and really see what we bring to the table.

"I think this time around we are so much more mature and just more grown up to where we know what we can do and what we can't do. Also, making sure we take care of our bodies and mental health first, because it is going to be a long couple of weeks."

Brody Malone, 24, is the only member of the active U.S. men's team with Olympic experience. He will join Stephen Nedoroscik (25), Paul Juda (22), Asher Hong (20) and Fred Richard (20) in Paris. Shane Wiskus and Khoi Young were named as alternates.

Richard (170.500) and Malone (170.300) posted the best all-around totals, ahead of Wiskus (169.650) at the trials. Juda (168.850) and Hong (167.650) followed.

Wiskus, Juda and Richard topped the podium in floor. Nedoroscik and Juda placed second and third, respectively, behind Patrick Hoopes in pommel horse. Hong placed first in rings.

Richard also placed second, while Hong finished fourth and Malone was fifth, in parallel bars. Richard, Wiskus and Malone were the top scorers in the horizontal bar.

Malone teamed up with Yul Moldauer, Sam Mikulak and Wiskus for a fifth-place finish in Tokyo. Wiskus totaled the third-best all-around score at the 2024 trials, while Moldauer was ninth, failing to make the team.

The Team USA men placed fifth in Tokyo. Malone was fourth -- the highest finish for any American man at the 2020 Summer Games -- in the horizontal bar.

Gymnastics competitions for this edition of the Summer Games will be held from July 27 to Aug. 5 at Bercy Arena in Paris.