Simone Biles returns to Olympics for beam finals

TOKYO – Simone Biles returns to competition in Tokyo.

The 2016 Olympic champion will compete in the balance beam on Tuesday, just over a week after retiring from competition to focus on her mental health.

“We are delighted to confirm that you will see two American athletes in the beam final tomorrow – Suni Lee AND Simone Biles !! I look forward to seeing you both! USA Gymnastics said in a statement.

Biles, 24, won bronze on balance beam in Rio de Janeiro five years ago and advanced to the women’s eight final at Ariake Gymnastics Center on the first weekend of the Games.

She retired from the team final on July 27 after a faltering performance on vault in the first rotation. She watched her three American teammates sideways finish the competition without her; the United States took the silver behind the team known as the Russian Olympic Committee.

Biles later said she faced issues related to air awareness, called “the twisties” in her sport.

Biles qualified for all five individual event finals, but withdrew from four of them: the all-around, vault, floor exercise and uneven bars. Lee won the all-around gold medal, becoming the fifth consecutive American to win the sport’s title.