Simone Biles previewed her Olympic routines at women's podium training on Thursday evening in Tokyo, and even in a practice session, she did not disappoint.
In Biles' final vault attempt, unequivocally the headliner of the session, she nearly perfectly executed a Yurchenko double pike. Until she performed the skill at the U.S. Classic in April, no female gymnast had even attempted it in competition. If she lands it during Olympic competition, the vault will be named after Biles and become her fifth eponymous skill.
Ahead of podium training, Biles' coach Laurent Landi said that she might not perform the new vault at the Olympics.
"If she really wants to do it, she’s going to have to beg me,” Landi told On Her Turf last week. “People seem to forget that it’s a very, very dangerous skill… Just to have glory and being [in] the Code of Points, it’s not enough.” It appears, however, that Biles may be eyeing an Olympic performance for the Yurchenko double pike after all.
Biles also practiced her routines on floor, uneven bars and beam on Thursday.