Simone Biles Completes Her Comeback at the Paris Olympics
The comeback is complete.
US gymnast Simone Biles won Olympic gold in the individual all-around Thursday, regaining the title she first won in 2016.
Biles did not defend that title three years ago at the Tokyo Olympics. She withdrew after a shocking case of the “twisties,” a mental block where gymnasts lose track of their positioning midair.
However, she has been her dominant self once again in Paris. She trailed halfway through Thursday’s competition, but took first place after the balance beam and then finished the job with an impeccable floor routine. Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade won the silver and Suni Lee, Biles’ teammate, and the defending Olympic champion, won the bronze.
“I’m super proud of my performance tonight and the fight that I’ve had for the last three years mentally and physically just to get back competing on a world stage,” Biles said. “The Olympic Games is an amazing experience.”
Biles now has six Olympic gold medals and nine medals in all. No American gymnast has won more. She will have a chance to add to that record haul later in Paris when she competes in the finals of the vault, balance beam, and floor exercise.
Biles poses with her gold medal after the event. Naomi Baker/Getty ImagesBiles waves on the medal podium Thursday. At left is silver medalist Rebeca Andrade of Brazil. American Suni Lee won bronze.
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Biles shows off a goat necklace after winning gold on Thursday. Many consider Biles to be the GOAT: greatest of all time.
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Biles and Lee celebrate after the competition ended. Earlier this week, they won gold in the team event.
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Biles ended the competition with a dazzling performance on the floor. She came in with a slim lead over Andrade, but when she was finished it was clear that she would be champion.
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Biles scored a 15.066 in the floor exercise, a full point better than Andrade.
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Biles is cheered on by her husband, Jonathan Owens, and her parents, Ron and Nellie Biles.
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Biles performs on the balance beam, which was third in the four-apparatus rotation. She took the lead after the beam.
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Biles will also look for an individual medal in the balance beam later in Paris. Abbie Parr/APA fan makes it clear that he thinks Biles is the GOAT. Paul Childs/ReutersPhotographers focus on Biles during her balance beam routine. Athit Perawongmetha/ReutersBiles reacts after her performance on the uneven bars. She was in third place halfway through the all-around. Andrade was in first.
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Biles fans show a sign that reads ‘Simone for President.’ Mike Egerton/PA/APBiles twists during her uneven bars routine. Jeff Pachoud/AFP/Getty ImagesBiles fell behind after the uneven bars, but her overall score was still close to Andrade.
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Biles completes her vault at the start of the competition. She performed a Yurchenko double pike that is also known as the Biles II. It is one of her five signature moves.
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Biles has won more Olympic medals than any American gymnast in history. Loic Venance/AFP/Getty Images
