Simone Biles made history Thursday at the Paris Olympics, and in doing so further cemented her place in gymnastics history as one of the all-time greats.
At the age of 27, the American became the oldest gymnast to win the gold medal in the all-around competition and just the third woman in history to win multiple golds in the event.
Biles had to rally after a mistake on the uneven bars but was still able to edge Rebeca Andrade of Brazil, 59.131 to 57.932. Andrade finished with a silver, and American Suni Lee took home the bronze.
Simone Biles celebrates with her gold medal after winning the all-around final at the Olympics on Aug. 1, 2024.AFP via Getty Images
Americans Simone Biles (l.) and Suni Lee (r.) celebrate their gold and bronze medals, respectively, in the all-around final at the Olympics on Aug. 1, 2024.Getty Images
Biles is the first woman to win non-consecutive gold medals in the all-around, having finished first in 2016.
“It is crazy I am in the conversation of the greatest of all time,” she told reporters afterward. “I just think I’m still Simone Biles from Spring, Texas, who loves to flip.”
After the uneven bars, Biles was third behind Andrade and Kaylia Nemour of Algeria.
However, she responded like a champion, despite admitting she was nervous about her predicament at that moment.
Simone Biles shows off her goat necklace after winning gold in the all-around at the Olympics on Aug. 1, 2024.REUTERS
She was then typically dominant on the floor exercise to win her second gold of these Olympics.
“I don’t want to compete with Rebeca no more,” Biles said. “I’m tired. Like, she’s way too close. I’ve never had an athlete that close.”
She added: “I was stressing. But I knew if I did my work, it’d all be fine.”
Biles was part of the U.S. women’s team that came in first in the team final Tuesday. She now owns nine Olympic medals — the most ever by an American gymnast. Biles may not be done, however.
Simone Biles competes in the vault portion of the women’s gymnastics all-around final at the Olympics on Aug. 1, 2024.REUTERS
She will compete in the apparatus finals for balance beam, floor exercise and vault.
Her showing in Paris has completed a redemptive arc. At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Biles withdrew from the team final after dealing with what is called the “twisties” — she was losing a sense of where she was while in the air. Her mental health wasn’t in a good place, she had said.
Rebeca Andrade of Brazil in action on Uneven Bars on Aug. 1, 2024.REUTERS
Biles withdrew from most of the other events that summer and took a two-year break from competitive gymnastics.
“I was so nervous about getting injured physically that I neglected my mental health,” Biles said. “Then I was injured, except it was a mental injury, and I think that was almost harder than physical. Whenever you go to the doctor and you have a physical injury, they tell you three-to-six weeks, three-to-six months.”
Biles talked about the time she has put in with a therapist and how much it has helped her. The two had a session Thursday morning, before Biles went on to win another gold medal.
Simone Biles on the uneven bars during the women’s all-around competition on Aug. 1, 2024.REUTERS
“To see where I’ve grown, even from Tokyo, even from the 19-year-old from Rio, is amazing,” she said. “I’m really proud of the work that she’s put in, because I never thought I’d be on a world stage again.”
After returning with a flourish last year, Biles has added to her legacy in Paris — and there may even be more to come for one of the giants in this sport.
