Written during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic cycle, this feature story on Simone Biles’ influence belonged to a portfolio that placed third in the 2022 Associated Press Sports Editors student contest.

It’s dim in the Capital Gymnastics National Training Center and April Ballard is hovering over the metal bleachers, laying down her daughter’s edges with gel and a bristle brush.

She smooths Abigail’s hair into two puffs before sending her on her way for stretches and warm-ups on the red mats.

Abigail started gymnastics when she was 6. At the time, there weren’t many other Black girls around. Sometimes, April said, Abigail’s white teammates have looked at her puffs with amazement because they’re fascinated by her hair.

The 11-year-old is wonderstruck in a different sense when she watches Simone Biles compete and execute skills previously unperformed by no other female gymnast. Biles is just that good. And she’s Black. The sport’s most-decorated star means a lot to Abigail.