Simone Biles had a Kerri Strug moment at the Olympics but with a key difference

Simone Biles is already the greatest gymnast in Olympics history but she's looking to solidify her legacy at the Paris Olympics. She wasn't going to let a calf injury stop her.

Biles appeared to tweak her calf during her beam routine, crawling and then hopping towards trainers in a video shot from the crowd.

Concern that Biles would have to bow out of her second straight Olympics spiked for a moment there but fortunately for her and Team USA, she was able to compete.

Biles pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics to prioritize her mental health after developing the "twisties." Like the "yips" in golf, the "twisties" is a mental struggle gymnasts sometimes struggle with as they lose their sense of direction while in the air. Biles overcame that issue to make it back to the Olympics, a calf injury pales in comparison.

Simone Biles led all gymnasts in qualifying at the Olympics despite calf injury

It wasn't quite the same as Kerri Strug, who pushed through an injured ankle to secure the gold for Team USA on the vault in 1996. Still, it certainly brought that moment to mind.

Unfortunately, Strug was pressured heavily by coaches to compete despite a serious injury. The hope today is that everyone involved in gymnastics has a greater focus on the physical and mental wellbeing of their athletes. Kerri Strug didn't have the agency to tap out in 1996 but we know that Biles has that agency now. She's pulled out when she needed to in the past. So, this time we can all appreciate the effort without the nagging worries of potential exploitation.

Team USA qualified for finals in first place over Italy and Chine. Biles topped all other gymnasts in qualifying for the all-around finals. Along with Biles, Team USA will also have Suni Lee, the reigning all-around gold medalist, and Jordan Chiles competing in the all-around.