Simone Biles is shown in action during the floor exercise during the Senior Women's Competition at The 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships at the XL Centre in Hartford, Connecticut. (Tim Clayton - Corbis, Corbis via Getty Images)
Simone Biles came to Tokyo as the star of the U.S. Olympic movement and perhaps the Games themselves.
It all came to a stunning halt in the women’s gymnastics final on Tuesday night. A wonky vault to start the competition left her huddling with the U.S. team doctor before heading backstage for a few moments. When she re-emerged, she hugged her teammates, took off her bar grips and put on a sweatsuit while dealing with what USA Gymnastics described as a “medical issue.”
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We thought we’d take a look at her illustrious career, all captured in photos by Getty Images. Biles has been at the top of her game ever since bursting onto the gymnastics scene, and it was fun to dig through the archives and find the following pictures.
Simone Biles, at center, is shown on the podium with Kyla Ross, Aliso Viejo and Brenna Dowell after winning the All-Round title during the Senior Women's Competition at The 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships in Hartford, Connecticut on Aug. 17, 2013. (Corbis via Getty Images)Gold medalist Simone Biles of United States celebrates during the medal ceremony after the Women's Floor Exercise Final on day six of the 45th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships at Guangxi Sports Center Stadium on Oct. 12, 2014 in Nanning, China. (Getty Images)Simone Biles competes in the women's finals of the 2015 P&G Gymnastics Championships at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Aug. 15, 2015 in Indianapolis. (Getty Images)Gymnasts Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles pose for a portrait at the USOC Rio Olympics shoot at Quixote Studios on Nov. 20, 2015 in Los Angeles. (Getty Images)Simone Biles is congratulated by team coordinator Marta Karolyi after winning the gold medal in the women's vault on Day 9 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Rio Olympic Arena on Aug. 14, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Getty Images)Simone Biles of the United States is on the podium with her gold medal during the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Team Final at the Rio Olympic Arena on Aug. 9, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Corbis via Getty Images)Then-first lady Michelle Obama, at left, rests her elbow on the head of Olympian Simone Biles as then-President Barack Obama speaks during an East Room event at the White House on Sept. 29, 2016 in Washington, D.C. The Obamas were welcoming the 2016 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams to the White House to honor their participation and success in the Rio Olympic Games. (Getty Images)Shown left to right are gold medalists Simone Biles, Gabrielle Douglas, Lauren Hernandez, Madison Kocian and Alexandra Raisman of the United States, as they celebrate on the podium at the medal ceremony for the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Team on Day 4 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Aug. 9, 2016 in Brazil. (Getty Images)Olympian Simone Biles and dancer Sasha Farber attend "Dancing with the Stars" Season 24 at CBS Television City on April 3, 2017 in Los Angeles. (Getty Images)Simone Biles competes in the balance beam during day 10 of the 2018 FIG Artistic Gymnastics Championships at Aspire Dome on Nov. 3, 2018 in Doha, Qatar. (Getty Images)Simone Biles performs on vault during Women's Qualifications on Day 2 of the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships on Oct. 5, 2019 in Stuttgart, Germany. (Getty Images)Simone Biles warms up prior to competition on day two of the women's 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials at America’s Center on June 25, 2021 in St Louis, Missouri. (Getty Images)Simone Biles competes on floor during day two of the women's 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials at America’s Center on June 25, 2021 in St Louis, Missouri. (Getty Images)Simone Biles of Team USA competes on vault during the Women's Team Final on day four of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on July 27, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Getty Images)Simone Biles and Grace McCallum of Team USA react during the Women's Team Final on day four of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on July 27, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Getty Images)
With information and story copy from The Associated Press.
