Simone Biles wins 20th world title as US women seal gymnastics team gold
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Simone Biles with teammates after leading the US to their seventh straight women's team gold at the Gymnastics World Championships.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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ANTWERP – Simone Biles was in a reflective mood after claiming her 20th world title, as she continued her return from a two-year break to lead the United States to a seventh straight women’s team gold at the Gymnastics World Championships in Antwerp on Wednesday.
The US extended their domination going back to 2011, in the absence of Russia, who last won in 2010.
“It’s crazy, we still pulled it out. I’m really proud of the team,” said Biles.
“It’s the seventh title in a row for the United States. For some girls, it’s their first World Championship, I’m excited to share that with them.”
The Americans scored 167.729 points to take gold ahead of Brazil (165.530), with Olympic hosts France winning bronze (164.064).
The team victory gives Biles her 26th world medal and a record-extending 20th world title.
With a total of 33 world and Olympic medals, she equalled the record of Vitaly Scherbo, who competed for the Soviet Union, the Unified Team and Belarus.
And she could extend that tally as she is still in the running for five other podiums.
The American has made an impressive comeback, two years after the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Arriving in Japan as the big favourite thanks to her four gold medals won in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Biles broke down in full view of a global audience, withdrawing from four of the five finals.
She explained that she was fighting against the “twisties”, a temporary mental block whereby gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air, with the risk of injury when they land.
In Antwerp, however, she seems to be getting her career back on track.
It was in the same city that Biles took part in 2013 in her first world championships, where she claimed four medals, including two golds.
“I think each and every time you are crowned world champion it feels a little bit different,” she said.
“I’m still surprised. I’m 26, I’m a little bit older but it feels just as good as the first one just because we came together, we had fight. It’s different but it’s exciting.
“I’m not like 16 any more, everything feels different.
“Staying at the top and just pushing day in, day out is a little bit harder because I’m older, my body is tired... I feel I’m going to die sometimes and then I come out here and I rely on my training and get back to work.”
To achieve this latest title, Biles did not even need to perform her incredible Yurchenko double pike which now bears her name. On Wednesday, she settled for a Cheng, executed to perfection to launch the American campaign.
Despite a slight imbalance on the beam, her overall performance, highlighted by scoring 15.166 on the floor, was again strong, like on Sunday during the qualifications.
Biles, Shilese Jones, Leanne Wong and Skye Blakely resisted a comeback from the Brazilians, who won the first team medal in their history.
The surprise came from France who snatched bronze largely thanks to Melanie de Jesus dos Santos, Biles’ training partner in the US. AFP, REUTERS
