Simone Biles wins 21st world gymnastics championship title with all-around gold; with more to come
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Simone Biles obtained the best score on three of the four apparatuses, with the uneven bars the exception.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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ANTWERP American superstar Simone Biles admitted she was emotional, as she continued her spectacular return from a two-year break by claiming her 21st title with all-around gold at the Gymnastics World Championships on Friday.
Already a winner of team gold on Wednesday, she produced a dominant display to score 58.399 points and secure the title ahead of defending champion Rebeca Andrade of Brazil (56.766) and teammate Shilese Jones (56.332).
Biles obtained the best score on three of the four apparatuses, with the uneven bars the exception.
It was the 27th time she has won a world championship medal and the 26-year-old was teary-eyed as she stood on the podium with her sixth all-around world crown.
“Actually, I had something in my eye today that I couldn’t get out, I swear it’s true. But I was emotional, because 10 years ago I won my first worlds and now we’re back here,” said Biles of her return to Antwerp where she opened her world tally in 2013, winning four medals, including two golds.
“It means everything to me, after everything I’ve put in to get back to this place to feel comfortable and confident enough to compete.”
With two more days of competition, everything suggests her medal collection will be further enriched since she still has four apparatus finals to come.
Biles has made a breathtaking comeback, two years after the Tokyo Olympics marked by her episode of “twisties”, a temporary mental block whereby gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air.
Back at the highest level, the 1.42m Texan is gearing up for the 2024 Paris Olympics after taking advantage of her break to take care of her mental health.
“I was actually less nervous today,” said Biles. “I was so much more nervous for team finals just because that’s when everything occurred (in Tokyo) so I was a bit traumatised from that, so today I felt a little bit more relaxed. I’m happy that’s over.”
Her coach Cecile Landi compared Biles to wine – “she gets better with age”, she said.
During qualifying last weekend, Biles added a new line to her legend by becoming the first woman to complete a Yurchenko double pike vault, which now bears her name as the “Biles II”.
Texan Biles has made an impressive comeback, two years after withdrawing at the Tokyo Olympics.
PHOTO: REUTERS
On Friday, spectators at Antwerp’s Sportpaleis witnessed another extremely rare occurrence when she tripped on the mat while preparing for a simple leap towards the end of her floor routine.
The incident, accompanied by murmurs of surprise from the crowd and which drew a smile from the American, came with the gold effectively already secured.
“I just tripped, clumsy,” she said. “I’m like that outside of the gym, so I’m not surprised it happened.
“I felt like my legs were so heavy and I couldn’t pick them up.”
Biles is not superhuman after all, even though her 34 world and Olympic medals make her the most decorated gymnast in history. AFP
