In the beginning there was the vault, of all things. When Simone Biles last fought for a medal on this apparatus at the Olympic Games, three years ago in Tokyo, it changed the sport. Probably not how she had imagined it. But perhaps for the better.
So Simone Biles took a deep breath and started running again. Everyone was watching, the millions of people watching on TV. Serena Williams, Michael Phelps, Spike Lee, Nicole Kidman and Natalie Portman were among the thousands of spectators in the hall. Gymnastics with Simone Biles has become an event. She did a cheng, a straight somersault with one and a half turns. When she landed, she had to do a little hop back. But she did it. Applause. There she was again, 14,900 points.
