Simone Biles Claims All-Around Gold, Makes History in Paris

Simone Biles won the all-around gymnastics title at the Paris Olympics, earning her second Olympic gold in this event and her sixth overall. This victory cements her status at the pinnacle of her sport, as she became the oldest winner of the event in 72 years. Biles, who previously won the title at Rio 2016 and was a favorite at Tokyo 2020 before withdrawing, outperformed Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, who took silver and defending champion Sunisa Lee, who claimed bronze.

Biles celebrated her win by wearing a sparkly goat necklace, symbolizing her status as the GOAT (greatest of all time). She remarked on the significance of the necklace and the motivational stuffed goat she keeps in the athletes’ village. At 27, Biles is the first gymnast to win non-consecutive all-around Olympic titles, showcasing her remarkable longevity in a sport typically dominated by teenagers.

During the competition, Biles started with her difficult ‘Biles II’ vault, which provided her with a crucial points buffer after an error on the uneven bars. She regained the lead with a strong beam routine and secured her victory with a flawless floor exercise, finishing with a total score of 59.131. This placed her comfortably ahead of Andrade by 1.199 points.

Simone Biles’ journey back to the top included overcoming the mental challenges she faced in Tokyo, known as the ‘twisties,’ and resuming her gymnastics career after a two-year break. She credited her weekly therapy sessions over the past three years for helping her achieve this comeback. Biles is set to compete in the vault final on Saturday, followed by the beam and floor finals on Monday, aiming to further add to her impressive medal tally.