After a remarkable two-year hiatus and a triumphant return to competitive gymnastics less than three months ago, Simone Biles has once again ascended to the pinnacle of world gymnastics.
The American superstar clinched her sixth individual all-around title at the world championships on Friday, etching her name in history as the most decorated gymnast ever. Biles, who first claimed this honor a decade ago in the same Belgian city as a 16-year-old, achieved a score of 58.399 points across the balance beam, floor, vault, and uneven bars, surpassing Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, the defending champion, by 1.633 points.
Biles’ teammate, Shilese Jones of the United States, secured the bronze medal with 56.332 points.
This victory marked Biles’ 27th world championship medal, of which 21 are gold. It came just two days after the four-time Olympic gold medalist led the U.S. women to their record seventh consecutive win in the team event.
In total, Biles now boasts 34 medals across both the world championships and Olympics, establishing her as the most decorated gymnast in history at these two premier events, surpassing even the retired Vitaly Scherbo.
Despite a minor hiccup towards the end of her floor routine, where she stumbled briefly before a sequence of leaps, Biles swiftly recovered, and the deduction did not prevent her from securing the gold.
As the Olympic Games in Paris draw nearer, Simone Biles is back at her peak performance level, maintaining her exceptional standards even with formidable competition from Andrade and Jones. Remarkably, she continues to dominate the gymnastics world a full decade after her initial reign.
Biles has maintained her dominance since returning to the sport following a two-year hiatus, prompted by her experience at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics, where she grappled with a mental block known as “the twisties.” Although expected to defend her individual all-around title in Tokyo, she withdrew from competition to prioritize her mental well-being.
With her triumphant return, Biles is once again a force to be reckoned with on the world gymnastics stage.
