Paris, Jul 28 (IANS): Simone Biles and the U.S. women's gymnastics team showcased their dominance, finishing with a remarkable score of 172.296 points, over five points ahead of second-place Italy at the Bercy Arena during Olympic qualifying on Sunday despite a scare when Biles appeared to tweak her lower left leg during floor warmups.

Competing in sub-division 2, the Americans solidified their status as heavy favourites for the gold medal, especially in the absence of the Russian team. With seven teams left to compete, the U.S. women set a bar that seems insurmountable.

The team delivered consistently high performances, with five scores of 14.5 or higher.

Simone Biles led the charge with a stunning 15.8 on vault, a testament to her enduring excellence even amidst physical challenges. The team counted only one score below 13.6, highlighting their overall strength and depth. In the all-around standings, Biles and reigning Olympic champion Suni Lee secured the top two spots, with Biles leading. Jordan Chiles placed third, trailing by a mere 0.067 points. Unfortunately, due to the two-per-country rule, Chiles will miss the all-around finals, a bittersweet outcome given her stellar performance.

The U.S. women’s team now turns its attention to the team finals on Tuesday night, poised to continue its quest for Olympic glory.