TOKYO — Simone Biles made the most shocking error of her career, balking midway through her vault in the women’s team competition on Tuesday.
Biles had planned to do an Amanar, a difficult vault with 2.5 twists. But for reasons that were not immediately apparent, as she launched herself into the air, she completed only 1.5 twists, then stumbled out of her landing.
Minutes later, U.S.A. Gymnastics confirmed that Biles had withdrawn from the team competition “due to a medical issue,” leaving the United States without its highest-scoring gymnast.
Biles’s absence created an opening for the Russians, who ultimately won the gold.