On Thursday, Simone Biles clinched her sixth Olympic gold medal and her second at the Paris Games, triumphing over a strong challenge from Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade in the women’s all-around final, a title she has now secured for the second time.
At 27, Biles returned to the pinnacle of gymnastics eight years after earning her first Olympic all-around title in Rio, becoming just the third woman in history to win the sport’s most coveted accolade more than once, joining the likes of Larisa Latynina of the Soviet Union (1956 and 1960) and Vera Caslavska of Czechoslovakia (1964 and 1968).
Regarded as a once-in-a-lifetime talent who transforms the unimaginable into something seemingly effortless, Biles led a field of 24 gymnasts, finishing with an impressive score of 59.131 points. Andrade secured the silver medal, finishing nearly two points behind, matching her performance from Tokyo. Meanwhile, Biles’s teammate, Suni Lee, the reigning Olympic all-around champion who has faced health challenges over the past two years, took home the bronze.
With this gold medal, Biles became the oldest women’s all-around Olympic champion since Maria Gorokhovskaya of the Soviet Union, who won the title in 1952 at the age of 30. She has now become the sixth consecutive American woman to snag this title, following Sunisa Lee (2021), herself (2016), Gabby Douglas (2012), Nastia Liukin (2008), and Carly Patterson (2004).
This groundbreaking gold medal marked Biles’s 39th career medal between the Olympics and world championships, solidifying her status as the most decorated gymnast of all time. Since her inaugural national title win in 2013, she has emerged victorious in every all-around competition in which she has participated.
While this all-around final featured several former Olympic champions, the focus primarily rested on Biles and Andrade, the latter being the runner-up at the previous year’s world championships and closely trailing Biles’s score by just 0.366 points during the team final on Tuesday.
Biles commenced her competition on the vault, soaring off the platform into a spectacular Yurchenko double pike, the most challenging vault currently executed by female gymnasts. Having chosen not to attempt it during Tuesday’s team final, she scored 15.766, despite some steps back upon landing, which comfortably placed her in first, 0.666 points ahead of Andrade, who executed her Cheng with confidence. The competition was heating up.
Following the vault, the next event was the uneven bars, historically Biles’s least proficient apparatus. Andrade went first, delivering a stunning routine that garnered her a score of 14.666, improving upon her qualifying score. However, Biles, competing second, faltered significantly by going too high on her Pak salto transition, bending her knees to avert a fall. Her score of 13.733 elicited gasps from the audience, dropping her into second place, trailing Andrade by 0.267 points, and then into third after Algerian bar specialist Kaylia Nemour’s impressive routine scored 15.533.
For years, major competitions have often felt like coronations for the American star. Yet on this day, the greatest gymnast of all time was experiencing a true test.
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Biles led the third rotation on the beam, delivering a challenging routine under immense pressure, showcasing the resilience of a true champion. Her score of 14.566 set the bar high for her competitors and brought a standing ovation from the enthusiastic US fans in attendance. Afterward, Biles lit up the floor with her smile, waving and blowing kisses to the audience, leaving behind the frustration she had shown after her uneven bars routine.
Andrade, however, responded brilliantly, executing a precise beam routine with minimal balance issues, earning a score of 14.133, and closing the gap to just 0.166 points behind Biles as they headed into the final rotation. The fate of the Olympic all-around gold medal would now be determined on the floor.
Performing second to last, Andrade recorded a score of 14.033, establishing the benchmark for Biles, who needed a score of 13.867 to secure the gold. As Biles ascended the carpeted stairs to the competition podium, her blue leotard adorned with thousands of Swarovski crystals sparkled under the spotlight, signaling her moment to shine. Launching into a flawless routine, she smiled broadly throughout, gaining confidence with every move while the crowd roared in approval.
The victory was celebrated in front of a lively audience, which included basketball stars Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.
The margin of victory in this major international gymnastics event was the closest since Biles secured her third world championship title in 2015. Yet, in the end, it was more than enough.
