Simone Biles marked her remarkable return to the global gymnastics stage with a captivating performance on Sunday, securing the first position in the women’s all-around qualification at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Her extraordinary achievement also etched her name in history as the first woman to successfully execute the Yurchenko double pike vault in an international competition.

With grace and precision, Biles approached the vault, soaring high into the air, her body twisting in an angular blur of blue. Her landing was near flawless, requiring only a single backward step, thereby making history with this astounding feat.

This remarkable skill will forever be known as the “Biles II” in honor of the illustrious 19-time world champion. It stands as her fifth eponymous element in the world of gymnastics.

The Yurchenko double pike vault, historically a high-difficulty skill primarily performed by male gymnasts, involves a roundoff onto the springboard, followed by a back handspring onto the vaulting table, culminating in a piked double backflip into the air before landing.

Simone Biles concluded her qualifying session with an outstanding all-around score of 58.865, securing her place at the top of the leaderboard. She is now in a commanding position to advance to all four individual finals and the all-around final scheduled later in the week.