WHEN Simone Biles returned to training less than a year ago, she wanted to have fun and get back into shape. That’s it. She popped in and out of the gym, sometimes taking off for long stretches. She had speaking engagements in the fall, then became busy with the holiday season and wedding planning. The Paris Olympics weren’t part of the agenda.
Meanwhile, her coach, Laurent Landi, looked towards the future. Biles would arrive at the gym – back when an upcoming competitive slate didn’t exist