Getty Simone Biles of Team USA
Simone Biles achieved a great individual feat while representing Team USA in women’s gymnastics at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Biles and her teammates Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey earned a gold medal for Team USA on July 30.
The United States claimed gold for the fourth time ever in the event, and the first time since 2016. Biles became the most decorated U.S Olympics gymnast after as a result. Former President Barack Obama congratulated Team USA and praised Biles’ individual achievement on social media.
“Congrats to the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team for winning gold and to the GOAT @Simone_Biles for becoming the most decorated American gymnast in history!” Obama wrote on X.
Her 14.666 score as the final gymnast in the final event of the night sealed the gold medal for the Americans.
Biles Olympic History
Biles now has five gold medals, one silver medal and two bronze medals. She made her Olympic debut in 2016. She earned four gold medals in Rio. Biles earned gold in floor exercise, horse vault, individual all-around and team all-around while also earning a bronze medal in balance beam.
In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she earned a silver medal in the women’s team and a bronze medal in the women’s balance beam. However, her 2020 Olympics were headlined by her withdrawal from multiple events.
“As she entered the 2020 Tokyo Games, expectations reached a crescendo. Simone Biles added two more medals to her Olympic tally, making it a remarkable seven. However, she made headlines by withdrawing from most events, citing mental health concerns. Her struggles with the “twisties,” a disorienting mental block during aerial manoeuvres, were laid bare,” according to Olympics.com.
Biles began to prioritize her mental health following the incident before returning to competition.
“I’m making a bigger effort to take care of my mind and my body, which includes therapy once a week. Thursdays are my therapeutic days, a moment for myself,” Biles explained in a 2023 interview with Olympics.com.
2024 Olympics Achievement for Women’s Gymnastics
Biles is not done competing at the 2024 Olympics. She will take the floor again for the all-around, vault, uneven bars and balance beam.
However, for the women’s team as a whole, they found themselves on top for the first time since the Rio Olympics.
With a final total score of 171.296, the Americans defeated Italy, the silver medalists, by nearly six points on July 30. There was an almost seven-point gap between Team USA and bronze medalist Brazil.
What’s Next for Biles
Biles will compete in these four events, according to the IndyStar:
- The women’s all-around final on August 1.
- The women’s vault final on August 3
- The women’s uneven bars final on August 4 (first reserve)
- The women’s balance beam final on August 5
- The women’s floor exercise final on August 5
She did not make the uneven bars finals, but was bumped to the first reserve spot by Belgium’s Nina Derwael.
“Having qualified for Thursday’s all-around competition, as well as the event finals on beam, vault and floor, she will have a chance to earn the most golds by an American gymnast,” according to ESPN.