Wow, so Biles basically obliterated everyone on the first day of the US Gymnastics Championships. She’s the All-Around leader by a country mile after winning all but one event convincingly.
Like, her vault score (15.700) is a full point higher than second place (Jocelyn Roberson - 14.650). To put that in perspective, there is as big of a gap on vault between Biles in first and Roberson in second, as there is between Roberson in second and Marissa Neal in 17th (13.600).
But that’s not without reason. Her Yurchenko double pike is quite literally impossible for her opponents to mimic.
And the event she didn’t win - bars, which she has previously said she’d like to take apart with a chainsaw - she came in third.
In other words, she’s all the way back.
Other standouts: Shilese Jones (who is evidently officially going by “Shi” now) continued the strong momentum from last year’s Nationals and Worlds, winning bars and settling into a strong second, just over 2.5 points behind Biles. Blakely, Wong, and Chiles all turned in solid day ones, which is especially cool for Blakely, who stumbled during her few appearances at Worlds.
Lee is still coming back slowly from her kidney issue and only competed in two events, not including bars, her signature event. Not much to write home about for Carey either after a pretty pedestrian performance put her at the back of the pack.
Well, see ya Sunday.
