Simone Biles makes history: what gymnastics record has the U.S. star broken?

Simone Biles clinched her eighth all-around championship title at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships held in San Jose, California on Sunday, demonstrating remarkable dominance despite her recent return to competitive action following a two-year hiatus. The packed audience erupted in applause as Biles concluded the two-day event with a stunning floor routine, serving notice to the gymnastics world with a year remaining until the Paris Olympics.

The 26-year-old gymnast is mounting her comeback after withdrawing from several events during the Tokyo Games due to grappling with the challenge known as ‘the twisties’, a momentary lapse in spatial awareness during mid-air maneuovers.

Biles makes it number eight

In 2021, Biles secured her seventh title, equaling Alfred Jochim’s record set in 1933. In an interview with the Peacock network, she remarked, “I’ve been doing it for so long that I don’t think about numbers, I think about my performance and overall I hit eight for eight. Eight is the lucky number this year.”

Heading into the championships’ second day, Biles held an impressive 2.55 point lead, which she extended further with a 14.850 score on the vault. A strong presentation on the uneven bars earned her 14.050 points, and her balance beam routine, sharper than her initial day’s performance, garnered a 14.850 score. Concluding with her specialty, the floor exercise, she achieved a score of 15.400, captivating the SAP Center audience.

Reflecting on the crowd’s reaction, Biles shared, “It’s really amazing. Everybody in here believes in me, my teammates believe in me, my coaches, my family, everyone. I just need to start believing in myself a little bit more, but it feels amazing. I love the fans, I love the crowd. It was really special.”

Her total two-day competition score reached 118.450, a substantial 3.900 points ahead of second-place finisher Shilese Jones and an impressive 7.350 points beyond Leanne Wong, who secured third place. Alongside claiming victory, Biles achieved the distinction of being the oldest U.S. women’s all-around champion. Her initial title was secured a decade ago in 2013.

Biles, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, made her return to gymnastics subsequent to her break post the Tokyo Games, triumphing at the Core Hydration U.S. Classic in suburban Chicago earlier in the current month.

During the opening night of the San Jose competition, Biles executed a Yurchenko double pike—a vault of extraordinary complexity never previously accomplished by a female gymnast.

Looking ahead to the forthcoming Paris Games, which are a year away, Biles shared that she has set personal goals for herself but opted to keep them private. “I like to keep them personal just so that I know what I’m aiming for,” she conveyed. “It’s better that way. I’m trying to move a little bit differently this year than I have in the past and it’s working so far.”