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Simone Biles out of vault and uneven bars

TOKYO — Simone Biles withdrew from Sunday’s individual event finals in vault and uneven bars due to an inability to mentally focus enough to compete. She has made no determination as to Monday’s final in floor and Tuesday’s in beam.

The four-time gold medalist at the Rio 2016 Games is continuing to train here in Tokyo while seeking professional help.

Today, after further consultation with medical staff, Simone Biles has decided to withdraw from the event finals for vault and the uneven bars,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement. "She will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether to compete in the finals for floor exercise and balance beam.”

MyKayla Skinner, who believed her Olympics were over when she failed to qualify for any of the finals, will now take Biles’ spot in the vault final. Skinner, 24, qualified fourth overall for the event, but was the third-best American behind Biles and Jade Carey, who came in second.

The Federation of International Gymnastics has a rule that limits participation to two gymnasts per country. Skinner is now unexpectedly given another chance and with Biles out, will enter as the third-highest qualified gymnast in the competition and thus a legitimate medal contender.

Biles was an overwhelming favorite to win gold on vault, one of her strongest events. She qualified with a score of 15.183, low by her standards and an early sign that things were not right for her here at these Olympics.

Carey scored a 15.166 and is now the top qualified athlete in the competition. Brazilian Rebeca Andrade, who took silver to Sunisa Lee’s gold, in the all-around competition qualified second at 15.100.

Skinner came in at 14.866.

Lee will carry US hopes in the uneven bars. No additional Americans will take Biles’ place on the uneven bars because none qualified to do so.

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