[Breaking news update, published at 11:00 p.m. ET]
Simone Biles ends the opening day of competition at the US Gymnastics Championships in first place with a score of 59.3, 2.75 points ahead of the field.
Shilese Jones stands in second place while Skye Blakely is in third.
[Original story, published at 10:28 a.m. ET]
Simone Biles is familiar with making history. At 26 years of age, she's already one of the sport's greats.
Biles will have an opportunity to add to her ever-extending list of accolades at the US Gymnastics Championships in San Jose, California, over the next three days.
The 26-year-old could become the only gymnast -- man or woman -- to win eight US all-around titles. Her seven titles are tied with Alfred Jochim.
Biles returned to action earlier this month after an almost two-year hiatus, winning in triumphant fashion at the Core Hydration Classic.
How to watch
Biles will take to the floor on Friday in the balance beam and the floor exercise before taking on the vault and uneven bars on Sunday.
Day one of the senior women competition begins at 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. ET/1 a.m. UK time) on Friday with day two of the event starting at 3.30 p.m. PST (6.30 p.m. ET/11.30 p.m. UK time) on Sunday.
Coverage of the US Gymnastics Championships will be domestically broadcast on NBC and Peacock while international viewers can watch the event on the USA Gymnastics YouTube channel.
A winning return
Biles' return to competitive gymnastics at the Core Hydration Classic was the seven-time Olympic medalist's first outing since pulling out of several events at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
She withdrew from the women's team final after suffering from what is known as the "twisties" -- a mental block that causes gymnasts to lose track of their position in midair.
Biles opted not to compete in four individual finals at the Tokyo Games, but she did return to compete in the balance beam, winning bronze after using a modified dismount in her routine.
Asked about why she decided to return, Biles replied: "I always kind of knew as soon as everything that happened in Tokyo. So this time, I'm doing it for me. I worked a lot on myself, and I believe in myself a little bit more, just coming back out here and starting the first steps again."
The Core Hydration Classic was the final opportunity for athletes to qualify for the national championships. The world gymnastics championships are then scheduled to take place between September 30 and October 8 in Antwerp, Belgium.
Biles is the most decorated gymnast in US history, winning 32 medals across the Olympics and the world championships.
Among her medal haul are four golds at the Olympic Games and 19 golds at the world championships -- the most by any gymnast in history.
Biles' experiences have seen her become her a celebrated advocate for mental health.
Even in the months after the Olympics, she said she was still "scared to do gymnastics," but recently said on Instagram that she is "twisting again. No worries. All is good."
