Biles chases first Paris Olympic gold, triathlon postponed

PARIS, France — Simone Biles is tipped to win her first Olympic gymnastics gold since 2016 on Tuesday, while Paris organisers postponed the men's triathlon by a day over pollution in the Seine just hours before it was due to start.

America's Biles appears to be back at the peak of her powers as she leads the United States on what has been billed as a redemption mission in the women's team final.

The 27-year-old, considered the greatest gymnast of all time, won four gold medals at the Rio 2016 Games.

But she battled the disorientating mental block gymnasts call the "twisties" at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics three years ago.

Biles dramatically pulled out of most of her events, including the team final, and the United States settled for silver behind Russia after winning gold in 2012 and 2016.

Biles, a 23-time world champion, went home with a silver and a bronze, and while she won many plaudits for opening up on her mental health, there were critics who accused her of putting herself before her country.

"It has to be for us," Biles said of the United States' bid to recapture their women's team crown.

"It can't be for anybody else. We do it for ourselves and the love of the sport and the love for representing the USA."

The US team topped the rankings in qualifying and Biles wowed an A-list crowd in Paris on Sunday in her first appearance in the French capital, despite tweaking her left calf and competing with her leg taped.

- River pollution -

The River Seine, which snakes through the French capital, is supposed to host the swimming leg of the triathlon competition, originally scheduled to begin on Tuesday morning with the men's individual event.

But just hours before it was set to start, organisers said the race would be pushed back to Wednesday due to poor water quality.

Heavy rain that fell in the French capital on Friday and Saturday had worsened the pollution in some areas of the river to levels "still above the acceptable limits", said a statement issued by World Triathlon.

French officials had hoped that holding triathlon and marathon swimming on the river, lined by some of Paris's most famous landmarks, would create enduring images of the Games.

Org