Simone Biles cemented her favorite status for the P&G Championships by running away with the Secret Classic all-around title Saturday, her first meet since winning the World Championships all-around in October.
Biles, 17, scored 61.7 points at the tune-up meet in Hoffman Estates, Ill., beating 2012 Olympian and reigning World all-around silver medalist Kyla Ross by 1.65.
“I just came in here with a positive mind, and I’ve been out for a while, so I just tried to hit all four and have fun with it,” Biles said on Universal Sports. “I hope [U.S. National Team coordinator Martha Karolyi] was smiling.”
Biles led the field with a 15.8 on floor exercise and a 15.9 on vault, where she landed an Amanar (Ross performed a double twisting Yurchenko, one-half less twist than an Amanar). Biles also scored a 14.75 on uneven bars and closed with a 15.25 on balance beam, matching Ross for the highest score on that apparatus.
Biles was slated to compete in the American Cup in March and the Pacific Rim Championships in April, but pulled out of both meets due to a shoulder aggravation. She also had ankle surgery after the World Championships.
Biles and Ross will be the headliners at the P&G Championships, Aug. 21-24 in Pittsburgh. The team for October’s World Championships in Nanning, China, will be named later this summer.
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