Simone Biles Triumphs in Second Olympic All-Around Title
By Maggie Astor, Gabriela Bhaskar, Chang W. Lee, and Daniel Berehulak
In a remarkable display of talent and resilience, Simone Biles secured her second career Olympic all-around title on Thursday, triumphing by more than a full point. This victory came after a challenging moment on the uneven bars, where she faced fierce competition from Rebeca Andrade of Brazil, who ultimately took home the silver medal.
Vault
Biles showcased her extraordinary skills by executing the world’s most difficult vault, the Yurchenko double pike, a feat that no other female gymnast has yet accomplished. The impressive difficulty value of her vault provided her with an advantageous cushion of eight-tenths of a point over Andrade, who opted for a near-flawless vault known as the Cheng. Despite taking a step back upon landing, Biles maintained a solid lead after the first rotation.
Uneven Bars
However, the uneven bars presented a significant challenge for Biles. She made a notable error during her transition from the high bar to the low bar, forcing her to bend her legs to avoid a fall and requiring an extra swing to regain her rhythm. This misstep allowed Andrade and Kaylia Nemour of Algeria to surpass her, placing Biles in third place at the halfway mark of the competition. Meanwhile, Biles’s teammate, Sunisa Lee, began to close the gap.
Balance Beam
On the balance beam, all eventual medalists experienced minor wobbles, but Biles skillfully minimized hers. She regained her lead with a routine that concluded with an exceptionally difficult full-twisting double back dismount. Although Andrade’s routine was slightly less complex than Biles’s and had more pronounced execution errors, she remained within a couple of tenths of a point, keeping the pressure high as they approached the final rotation.
Floor Exercise
In the final event, Biles delivered a distinctive floor routine that solidified her lead, making her the first woman in over fifty years to clinch two Olympic all-around titles. Her routine featured two signature skills that bear her name: a triple-twisting double back flip with her knees tucked and a half-twisting double back flip executed with her body straight. Despite stepping out of bounds once, Andrade held on to her position for a well-deserved second place, while Lee executed a solid routine, securing the bronze medal.
Lee, who was crowned the all-around champion at the Tokyo Games in 2021, began her routine with an impressive full-twisting double back flip. Her flawless landing was met with visible joy as her feet touched the mat. By the time the final scores were revealed, both Biles and Lee were already aware of their standings, standing by the side of the floor with an American flag in anticipation of the official announcement.
