A coronation was expected. A triumphant run for the gold medal for the most high-profile athlete in the Games.
But suddenly the women’s all-around event on Thursday is completely different. With The withdrawal of Simone Biles Because of the mental health issue, it’s now a real competition.
So who will win?
There is a strong field of competitors and their scores and skills are close. Here are our best predictions for the podium:
Sunisa Lee, United States
Lee finished third in the qualifying, but he has an ace in hand: According to the preliminaries, his difficulty will be higher than anyone’s except Biles. This gives him a huge advantage. If they nail their routine, other gymnasts may not be able to compete with him, no matter how successful they are. Especially Lee’s bar routine is awesome: It’s even harder than Biles had planned.
Rebeca Andrade, Brazil
Andrade, who is in second place after Biles, automatically enters the role of favourite. Few guessed he would do well; She has struggled with injuries in her career, and Brazil has never won a gymnastics medal at the women’s Olympics. But their routine can be compared to the rest of the field and underestimated.
Angelina Melnikova and Vladislava Urazova, Russia
Melnikova won a bronze medal at her latest world championship in 2019. Both himself and Urazova, Russian team overthrowing the United States in team competition After Biles was shot. They both have similar strengths and weaknesses – Melnikova is a little stronger on the floor and Urazova is a little stronger on the beam – and both can be medaled for good performance.
Tang Xijing, China
Only eighth in the standings is another competitor who can take advantage of the difficulty. The beam routine might be the best (except Biles). He also has the highest honor in his field by winning the silver medal behind Biles in the world championships.
Jade Carey, United States
Considering that he qualified ninth, secured an all-around place only with Biles’ withdrawal, and didn’t even make it to the team event for the United States, Carey seems like a distant prospect. His beam is weak but he has a dedicated floor routine and can score well on the vault as well. It could be a surprise medal winner.