HOFFMAN ESTATES, Aug 6 — Four-time Olympic champion gymnast Simone Biles returned to competition for the first time since the Tokyo Olympics yesterday at the US Classic, ending a two-year hiatus.

The 19-time world champion began the event on the uneven bars, where her strong performance received a score of 14.000 points from judges before a cheering sellout crowd in suburban Chicago.

The 26-year-old American star will compete later on balance beam, floor exercise and vault.

Biles struggled at the Games in Japan in 2021 with the "twisties” — a disorienting feeling while in mid-air that leaves gymnasts at greater injury risk when landing — as well as mental health issues.

She was affected early in the Olympic team competition, pulled out of the all-around plus the vault, uneven bars and floor exercise disciplines before taking bronze on the balance beam.

While Biles has not announced if she will be making a bid to compete at next year’s Paris Olympics, the Classic could be a first step in that direction.

The meet is the last chance to qualify for the US nationals on August 24-27 at San Jose, California, and Biles used the US Classic as her comeback meet in 2018 after a lengthy break following her starring role at the Rio Olympics, which included all-around, vault, floor and team gold medals.

In her comeback yesterday, Biles was dressed in black and white and wore competitor number 231. There was an electric atmosphere as she performed her release moves and swings that erupted in applause and cheers when she landed.

Biles has elected not to perform some riskier moves in her return routines as part of her overall comeback strategy.

Biles performed well in each discipline during a Friday practice session, performing the difficult Yurchenko double pike vault during her workout. — AFP