After making headlines for wearing a symbolic leotard and questioning why adults involved in the Olympic movement failed to protect young athletes, Simone Biles could spark even more stories by defending her USA Gymnastics Championship all-around title while performing skills never done in competition before.
The national event begins Friday night for the women, as Biles leads a stacked field of elite gymnasts trying to prove they deserve a ticket to Tokyo. 2017 world all-around champion Morgan Hurd is in the mix along with Pan American Games uneven bars gold medalist Riley McCusker and American Cup winner Leanne Wong.
Keep an eye on Biles’ floor and beam routines. She plans to unveil an upgraded tumbling pass and a new dismount that no other gymnasts in the world are competing.
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When: Friday, August 9 at 8 p.m. EST
Where: Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri
TV: NBCSN
Streaming: NBCSports.com
Standings from night one will carry over into the final round of the competition, which starts Sunday.