Biles Seeks Second Gold Medal of Paris Games in All-Around Final 

Simone Biles of the USA performs on the Balance Beam during the Women Team final of the Artistic Gymnastics competitions in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France, 30 July August 2024. (EPA)
Simone Biles of the USA performs on the Balance Beam during the Women Team final of the Artistic Gymnastics competitions in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France, 30 July August 2024. (EPA)
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Biles Seeks Second Gold Medal of Paris Games in All-Around Final 

Simone Biles of the USA performs on the Balance Beam during the Women Team final of the Artistic Gymnastics competitions in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France, 30 July August 2024. (EPA)
Simone Biles of the USA performs on the Balance Beam during the Women Team final of the Artistic Gymnastics competitions in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France, 30 July August 2024. (EPA)

Simone Biles will be chasing a sixth Olympic gold medal and her second of the Paris Olympics when she competes in the women's gymnastics all-around final on Thursday in what she has called her "redemption tour" after her withdrawal from the Tokyo Games.

Biles, the most decorated gymnast of all-time, made her much-anticipated return to the Olympic stage on Sunday when she topped the all-around qualifying standings by a solid margin and also finished as the leading contender for the floor exercise and vault finals.

Following her success at the 2016 Rio Games, Biles is favorite to win a second Olympic gold in the all-around.

Three years ago she withdrew from the event in Tokyo to prioritize her mental health after suffering from the "twisties", a condition involving the temporary loss of spatial awareness that some gymnasts can experience when executing high-difficulty elements.

In Biles' absence, her teammate Sunisa Lee took the gold in Tokyo. Lee, who finished third in qualifications behind Biles and Brazil's Rebeca Andrade, will see her fellow American as the biggest obstacle in her gold medal defense.

Biles led the United States to their fourth gold medal in the women's gymnastics team event on Tuesday at the Paris Olympics, with stellar performances on all four apparatus.

She had experienced calf pain during the qualifications but seemed to be under no visible discomfort in the team final at the Bercy Arena in Paris, where she competed with her left calf taped.



Messi Set to Return After Two-month Lay Off

Alexis Mac Allister (C) of Argentina celebrates a goal that was later disallowed during a CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier soccer match between Argentina and Chile at Mas Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 05 September 2024. (EPA)
Alexis Mac Allister (C) of Argentina celebrates a goal that was later disallowed during a CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier soccer match between Argentina and Chile at Mas Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 05 September 2024. (EPA)
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Messi Set to Return After Two-month Lay Off

Alexis Mac Allister (C) of Argentina celebrates a goal that was later disallowed during a CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier soccer match between Argentina and Chile at Mas Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 05 September 2024. (EPA)
Alexis Mac Allister (C) of Argentina celebrates a goal that was later disallowed during a CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier soccer match between Argentina and Chile at Mas Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 05 September 2024. (EPA)

Lionel Messi is set to return to action with his club Inter Miami this weekend after spending over two months out with an ankle injury, Miami coach Gerardo Martino said on Friday.

"Yes, he is fine," Martino said before training Friday. "He trained (Thursday), he is in the plans for the game. After training we will figure out the strategy for him, but he is available," added the Argentine, AFP reported.

Inter Miami, who lead the Eastern Conference and are top of the overall standings, host the Philadelphia Union on Saturday.

Messi injured his right ankle during the final of the Copa America on July 14 when he helped Argentina to victory over Colombia.

Since then he has missed eight MLS games for his club and this month's World Cup qualifiers for his country.

"To get back the best player in the world to our team, which was already on a good run, we are all very happy with this situation," said Martino.

Inter have already booked their place in the MLS Cup playoffs although their seeding will depend on how they finish the regular season which concludes on October 19.

Miami's Finnish winger Robert Taylor concurred said Messi's return to training had given the team a boost.

"We're already confident, but he gives us even more confidence now that he's back training and hopefully he's ready to play soon," Taylor told the Miami Herald.

"He brings a lot of leadership. The way he’s competitive in training is really, really amazing to watch. He wants to win every little thing we do in training, whether it’s football tennis, rondos, small-sided games, he just wants to win everything. So that boosts everyone to try to match that level," he said.

Taylor doesn't expect to see any lasting impact of the injury on the record eight-times Ballon d'Or winner.

"Of course, two months is a long time, for anyone, but he's the best player there is. So, I don't think we'll see much of a different Messi than we've seen before," he added.