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Simone Biles is headed to the Olympics. But her qualification had a major surprise ...

The gymnastics legend is headed for her second Olympic games. The journey had an interesting plot twist

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Simone Biles at the women’s U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials,

Simone Biles smiles after competing on the uneven bars during the women’s U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials Sunday, June 27, 2021, in St. Louis.

Jeff Robertson, Associated Press

After this weekend’s Olympic Trials, the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team has officially been decided. And, unsurprisingly, Simone Biles will be leading the U.S. Olympic Team as it heads to Tokyo, reports USA Today.

  • Team USA also includes Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles, Grace McCallum, MyKayla Skinner, and Jade Carey, says ESPN.

The Olympic trials qualification competition did have one major surprise, says USA Today.

How did Simone Biles qualify for the Tokyo Olympics?

A powerful force in the world of gymnastics for almost a decade, Biles has a reputation for pushing the boundaries of the sport and consistently dominating, says ESPN. No one doubted she would represent the U.S. at the Olympics.

  • Biles hopes to be the first woman in more than 50 years to win back-to-back Olympic championships, reports Deseret News.

Biles has placed first in the all-around at every competition since 2013, says USA Today. At least, every competition until Sunday.

  • Even though Biles posted the highest total score, Sunisa Lee posted the highest score for the all-around on Sunday, winning the all-around, says USA Today.

How did Sunisa Lee finish first?

According to ESPN, “Lee might be the best gymnast on the planet not named Biles.” The 18-year-old from Minnesota pulled ahead of Biles this weekend with her crisp, clean routines on all events, particularly the uneven bars.

  • Biles had a “human” night, making a mistake on the uneven bars, falling off the balance beam, and stepping out of bounds on her first two floor passes, said ESPN.
  • The mistakes allowed Lee to take the lead, even if only for one competition, reported The Washington Post.

Speaking after the competition, Lee said, “I think that gives me a lot of confidence ... I know it probably won’t happen again, but I was really excited,” says USA Today.

  • Lee will be the first Hmong American to compete at the Olympics, says ESPN.

What should you watch for at the Tokyo Olympic Games?

The U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team is packed with power and potential this year, says The Washington Post. The competitions will all be worth watching as the team aims to bring home gold.