There's still another year until Paris 2024, but gymnastics fans got an extra sweet treat this weekend when Simone Biles and Suni Lee returned to elite competition at the annual U.S. Classic.
Biles hadn't competed since she withdrew from the finals at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. On Saturday, she blew everyone away with her comeback, scoring a 59.100 to win the event and sticking a Yurchenko double pike on vault, something only she — and she alone — has ever done.
Biles also said her comeback is personal.
"I'm doing it for me," she said on air. "I'm going to put myself first."
MORE: Watch 2023 U.S. Classic with Fubo (free trial)
Lee, on the other hand, took an untraditional route after winning gold in Tokyo, joining the Auburn gymnastics roster for a season. She ultimately had to step aside as she dealt with a kidney issue, unrelated to her career.
Lee got emotional after her beam performance earned her a 14.500, and she earned a 13.500 on vault. She did not compete in the all-around — or with 100 percent of her potential, based on advice from her coach. These next 12 months need to be about recouping and regrouping for the 20-year-old to make it to the City of Love next summer.
Biles and Lee qualified for the U.S. Championships, which will take place on Aug. 24-27 in San Jose, Calif.
The duo was joined by NCAA bars and floor champion Jordan Chiles out of UCLA and the Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year Jade Carey out of Oregon State, both of whom also did not compete in the all-around.
Florida teammates Leanne Wong and Kayla DiCello joined the fantastic four in the second session, too. Wong ended the night in second place with a 54.100, while DiCello tied for sixth at 51.950.
The Sporting News tracked the 2023 U.S. Classic, with Simone Biles and Suni Lee making their return to elite gymnastics competition.
U.S. Classic gymnastics scoreboards
Overall
| Place | Gymnast | Club | Score |
| 1 | Simone Biles | World Champions | 59.100 |
| 2 | Leanne Wong | Florida | 54.100 |
| 3 | Katelyn Jong | Metroplex | 53.450 |
| 4 | Amelia Disidore | Great American Express | 52.800 |
By event
| Event | Gymnast | Club | Score |
| Vault | Simone Biles | World Champions | 15.400 |
| Bars | Skye Blakely | WOGA Gymnastics | 14.350 |
| Beam | Simone Biles | World Champions | 14.800 |
| Floor | Simone Biles | World Champions | 14.900 |
U.S. Classic gymnastics live results, highlights from senior women's session 2
All times Eastern
9:45 p.m.: The winning world champion score in 2022 was 56.899. Tonight, Simone Biles obliterated that mark with a 59.100. And that's when she waters down some of her routines. ...
9:43 p.m.: Simone Biles will end the night on top of the chart after earning a 15.400 on vault. Cameras zoom in on Jordan Chiles hyping up the crowd for her fellow Olympian.
9:41 p.m.: Ear-shattering screams can be heard on the broadcast as Simone Biles sticks her second Yurchenko double pike of the night. No other female athlete has ever done this move before, and if she's able to do it on an international stage, it will be named after her.
9:35 p.m.: Simone Biles wearing her husband's name on a silver chain around her neck at tonight's Road to Paris competition. Her husband, Jonathan Owens, is in Green Bay playing for the Packers' Family Night.
9:33 p.m.: These are the top scores to beat from senior women's Session 1:
9:30 p.m.: Simone Biles with a 14.900 on the floor exercise, stays leading. Leanne Wong is in second, Kayla DiCello tied for fifth, while Suni Lee is in 14th and Jordan Chiles is in 16th.
9:04 p.m.: Simone Biles leads the board after two rotations.
8:43 p.m.: Simone Biles with a 14.800 on beam, qualifies her for the U.S. Championships, according to CNBC broadcasters.
8:19 p.m.: Suni Lee and her coach took difficulty out of her beam routine, so her competition tonight is not being performed at her full potential. Still, she scored a 14.500, the highest of the evening so far, and is attempting to qualify for the U.S. Championships later this month.
8:17 p.m.: The age gap in this competition is vast. Tiana Sumanasekera is 15-years-old, while Simone Biles is 26-years-old.
8:10 p.m.: Simone Biles twisted a little too early for her pirouette in the bar routine, but managed a sweet save, meaning minimal deduction. She earned a 14.000.
7:41 p.m.:
7:37 p.m.: And now Simone Biles actually sticks the Yurchenko double pike on vault with no mats. Insanity.
7:29 p.m.: Jade Carey will no longer be competing on uneven bars, per USA Gym. The rotation schedule below has been revised.
7:19 p.m.: Simone Biles reportedly "pretty much stuck" the Yurchenko double pike in vault warmups.
7:16 p.m.: A decade ago, Simone Biles made her broadcast debut in the 2013 American Cup. She placed second that day, but had people saying she could be the new face of American gymnastics. Fast forward to now.
7:13 p.m.: Simone. Biles. Is. Back. The gymnast posted this video to her TikTok: "This comeback is personal."
U.S. Classic gymnastics channel
- TV channel: CNBC
Fans can catch the second senior women's session on CNBC on Saturday, Aug. 5 from 8-10 p.m. ET. The first session will take place earlier in the day from 2-4 p.m. ET.
If you're unable to watch live, there will be a recap of both sessions on NBC on Sunday, Aug. 6 from 4:30-6 p.m. ET.
U.S. Classic gymnastics live stream
- Live stream: Peacock, Fubo
If you've cut down on cords recently, there's no need to fret. There are several options for live streaming the meet, as well.
NBC's streaming service Peacock offers two plans, one at $5.99/month and the other at $11.99/month, depending on what kind of experience you want.
Meanwhile, Fubo, which houses CNBC as one of its 300-plus channels, is offering a free trial to new subscribers.
U.S. Classic gymnastics rotation
The second session will host big names like Biles (World Champions), Carey (Oregon State), Lee (Midwest Gym), Chiles (World Champions), Leanne Wong (Florida) and Kayla DiCello (Hills) — Biles will be in rotation with club teammate Chiles and Wong, while Lee is paired with DiCello. Carey is in her own rotation.
- Time: 8-10 p.m. ET
- TV channel: CNBC
- Live stream: Peacock, Fubo
| Rotation | Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor |
| 1 | Skye Blakely, WOGA | Katelyn Jong, Metroplex | Marissa Neal, GAGE | |
| Lexi Zeiss, Twin City Twisters | Simone Biles, World Champions | Kayla DiCello, Hills | ||
| Elle Mueller, Twin City Twisters | Leanne Wong, Florida | Malea Milton, GAGE | ||
| Kaliya Lincoln, WOGA | Tiana Sumanasekera, World Champions | Sunisa Lee, Midwest Gym | ||
| Jordan Chiles, World Champions | Amelia Disidore, GAGE | |||
| Dulcy Caylor, World Champions | Chloe Cho, Gym Olympica | |||
| Eveylynn Lowe, GAGE | ||||
| 2 | Lexi Zeiss, Twin City Twisters | Simone Biles, World Champions | Kayla DiCello, Hills | |
| Levi Jung-Ruivivar, WOGA | Leanne Wong, Florida | Malea Milton, GAGE | ||
| Elle Mueller, Twin City Twisters | Tiana Sumanasekera, World Champions | Amelia Disidore, GAGE | ||
| Jordan Chiles, World Champions | Chloe Cho, Gym Olympica | |||
| Skye Blakely, WOGA | Dulcy Caylor, World Champions | Eveylynn Lowe, GAGE | ||
| Katelyn Jong, Metroplex | Marissa Neal, GAGE | |||
| 3 | Malea Milton, GAGE | Levi Jung-Ruivivar, WOGA | Leanne Wong, Florida | |
| Sunisa Lee, Midwest Gym | Elle Mueller, Twin City Twisters | Tiana Sumanasekera, World Champions | ||
| Amelia Disidore, GAGE | Kaliya Lincoln, WOGA | Dulcy Caylor, World Champions | ||
| Chloe Cho, Gym Olympica | Jade Carey, Oregon State | Katelyn Jong, Metroplex | ||
| Eveylynn Lowe, GAGE | Skye Blakely, WOGA | Simone Biles, World Champions | ||
| Marissa Neal, GAGE | ||||
| Kayla DiCello, Hills | ||||
| 4 | Tiana Sumanasekera, World Champions | Sunisa Lee, Midwest Gym | Elle Mueller, Twin City Twisters | |
| Dulcy Caylor, World Champions | Amelia Disidore, GAGE | Kaliya Lincoln, WOGA | ||
| Katelyn Jong, Metroplex | Chloe Cho, Gym Olympica | |||
| Simone Biles, World Champions | Eveylynn Lowe, GAGE | |||
| Leanne Wong, Florida | Marissa Neal, GAGE | |||
| Kayla DiCello, Hills | ||||
| Malea Milton, GAGE |
italics = representing club