海角大神

Day five of the Tokyo Olympics saw upsets for two of the most celebrated female athletes competing: Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka.

The United States finished the gymnastic all-around finals with a silver medal and without Ms. Biles, who withdrew with what USA Gymnastics called a 鈥渕edical issue鈥� following vault earlier in the competition. On the tennis court, Ms. Osaka lost unexpectedly to opponent Marketa Vondrousova, taking her out of gold medal contention.

Despite the setbacks, the impact the two have had on viewers and on representation in their respective sports remains.

There鈥檚 a phenomenon that happens every time Ms. Biles appears on a screen inside Power Moves Gymnastics & Fitness.

As if flipping a switch, the young women of color on the gym鈥檚 competitive team spring to life, fueled by the jolt of adrenaline that comes with watching the reigning Olympic champion test the limits of their sport.

鈥淭hey just get this motivation that鈥檚 just unreal,鈥� said DeLissa Walker, who co-owns the gym just outside New York City with her sister Candice. 鈥淎nd we鈥檙e like, 鈥榃ow, they鈥檙e really inspired.鈥� ... They鈥檙e like 鈥楾his can be me.鈥欌��

Maybe because more and more, it is.

The face of gymnastics in the U.S. is changing. There are more athletes of color starting聽鈥� and sticking聽鈥� in a sport long dominated by white athletes at the highest levels.

Half of the U.S. women鈥檚 Olympic delegation that walked onto the floor聽鈥� Ms. Biles, Jordan Chiles, and Sunisa Lee聽鈥� at Ariake Gymnastics Center for Olympic qualifying were minorities. Ms. Biles and Ms. Chiles are African American; Ms. Lee is Hmong American.

More than half of the 18 women invited to Olympic trials in St. Louis last month were women of color. While numbers are still low on college teams, there is progress. Black women account for nearly 10% of the scholarship athletes at the NCAA Division I level, an increase from 7% in 2012. More than 10% of USA Gymnastics membership self-identify as Black.

And while the current athletes at the top level of the sport were already involved when Gabby Douglas became the first Black woman to win the Olympic all-around title in London in 2012, the rise in participation among athletes of color since Ms. Douglas鈥� golden moment at the 02 Dome is real, and has been amplified by Ms. Biles鈥� unmatched brilliance.

鈥淪imone has opened the eyes to so many women of color saying 鈥楬ey, you can do this, too,鈥欌�� said Cecile Landi, who has served as Ms. Biles鈥� co-coach along with her husband since the fall of 2017. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just little skinny white girls that can do it. Anyone can do it.鈥�

Ms. Biles has vowed to remain in the sport long after the Olympic flame in Tokyo is passed along to organizers for the 2024 Games in Paris. Three years from now, perhaps some of the young Black girls who entered the sport in the afterglow of Ms. Douglas鈥� victory in London will be the ones in the mix to represent the U.S. in France or scattered across NCAA gymnastics programs across the country, maybe even at historically Black colleges and universities.

鈥淩epresentation does matter,鈥� Gina Chiles said. 鈥淎nd Simone has put her foot in it. She鈥檚 definitely set that path in a lot of ways. Whatever level you go to, you can be excellent at that level. And a lot of Black girls see that. And a lot of Black girls now want to be that.鈥�

While Naomi Osaka鈥檚 early loss on the Olympic court was similarly disappointing to fans, people聽quickly turned to an outpouring of sympathy and remain hopeful.

鈥淲atching you gave me courage. You don鈥檛 have to win a medal. Watching you play is enough for all your fans,鈥� said Yuji Taida, a novelist.

For many in Tokyo, the Japan-born Osaka, whose father is Haitian, has grown to personify a ray of hope for diversity in a nation long linked with discrimination and intolerance for differences.

Shotaro Akiyama, a university student who loves to play tennis, said he hoped Ms. Osaka wouldn鈥檛 give up.

鈥淭he opponent just played a smarter game this time,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he will have another chance at the gold.鈥�

This story was reported by The Associated Press.