Simone Biles is one step closer to making Olympic history. When she does officially qualify for the Paris Olympics, we won’t be wondering if she has enough in the tank to compete with younger gymnasts.
Since announcing her comeback Biles has been elite. She officially clinched a spot in the U.S. Olympic Trials late this summer. She is now the first gymnast, man or woman, to win nine all-around national titles.
Simone Biles Wins Record Ninth U.S. All-Around Title
Biles finished with an all-around total score of 119.750, breaking her own record of eight titles, which she set last year. That win broke a tie with Alfred Jochim for the previous record of seven and the win made her the oldest woman to ever win the title.
The 27-year-old GOAT wasn’t perfect on Sunday. She fell once on the vault while trying to come out of her signature Yurchenko double pike, which has caused some problems for her dating back to her last Olympics. But it was just her first fall of the season, so she has time to fix whatever issues she’s having.
She put the finishing touches on her win with a 14.400 on the uneven bars. In addition to her all-around title, she took home gold in every event.
The 37-time world and Olympic medalist started her day with a 14.800 on the balance beam, followed by a 15.100 on the floor exercise, her usual bread and butter discipline, to take a commanding five-point lead.
Will Simone Biles Have Any Legit Competition In Paris?
Biles still has to handle her business and officially qualify later this summer, but she’s going to be one of the most discussed and celebrated athletes at the Olympics in Paris. Everyone will be anxious to see how she handles things after experiencing the “twisties” (when a gymnast gets disoriented in the air and doesn’t have a firm grasp of their body or positioning, which can be very dangerous) at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Of course, Biles was also dealing with mental health challenges at the time and chose to sit out a couple of events in what to this day is still an unbelievable turn of events for the four-time Olympic gold medalist. So far, she’s exhibited the discipline, focus and grace of a GOAT gymnast.
Now that setback sets her up for another historical comeback.
Since her return, she’s been steady and has quickly gone from a good story to serious gold medal contender in 2024. She’s re-setting the bar and reminding everyone that she is still the woman to beat.
The Olympic trials will kick off on June 27 in Minneapolis, about a full month before the opening ceremony in Paris.
