Simone Biles Secures Her 20th World Championship Gold Medal

Simone Biles has become a world champion for the first time in four years.

On Wednesday, the gymnast, who had previously won five events at the 2019 meet in Stuttgart, led Team USA to a team title at the 2023 World Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp.

The victory marks Biles’ first world title since then and adds to her already impressive collection of medals, making it her 26th overall and 20th gold, solidifying her position as the most decorated gymnast in history.

Biles and Shilese Jones participated in all events, while Leanne Wong and Skye Blakely completed the team in the final. Brazil secured the silver medal, whereas France achieved the bronze.

The United States has achieved an unprecedented feat by winning seven consecutive women’s team titles at the World Championships. The last instance of a country other than the United States winning the event occurred in 2010 when Russia emerged victorious.

Biles achieved a score of 14.800 on the vault, despite not attempting her most challenging skill. She also scored 14.466 on uneven bars, 14.300 on balance beam, and 15.166 on floor exercise, which ultimately secured the title for the Americans. When adding up these numbers, the total score amounts to 58.732.

In comparison, Biles secured the world title in the individual all-around in 2019, achieving a total score of 58.999. Conversely, the silver medalist this year obtained a score of 56.899.

The performance highlighted something that has become more evident since Biles initially competed in the summer: She has returned to the pinnacle of her abilities, despite facing challenges at the 2020 Olympics and taking a two-year hiatus from the sport.

Biles, who has qualified for the finals in all apparatus, will also be competing in Antwerp and striving to win her record-breaking sixth world title in the all-around.

Aside from her medals, Biles has already left an indelible mark in the history books by successfully executing the Yurchenko double pike on vault during Sunday’s competition.

Consequently, this skill will now bear her name as it has been officially recognized in international competitions. Remarkably, this is the fifth ability to be named after Biles.

Biles made her comeback in August at the US Classic, showcasing a dominant performance. Subsequently, she achieved an unprecedented eighth all-around title at the US Championships.

Prior to this remarkable feat, she dedicated two years to personal growth, primarily through therapy, and also entered into a marriage with Jonathan Owens, a defenseman for the Green Bay Packers.

After the conclusion of the World Cup, the 2024 Paris Olympics will serve as the subsequent opportunity for Biles to rectify the mishaps that occurred in Tokyo.

Initially regarded as the clear frontrunner to secure a second consecutive all-around gold medal at the 2020 Games (held in 2021), Biles unfortunately succumbed to the “Twisties.”

Consequently, she withdrew from the team event following a vault mishap, and solely made a comeback for the final individual event, the balance beam, in which she managed to attain a bronze medal.

Biles has already expressed her intention to participate in the 2024 Olympics, and she anticipates being among the most widely followed athletes globally when they gather in Paris.