‘No flashbacks’ – the moment Biles was sure about gold
For Simone Biles, this vault was more than just a routine; it symbolized her overcoming the haunting memories of the Olympics three years prior.
On Tuesday in Paris, as she stood at the end of the 25-meter runway, Biles took a deep breath, preparing to assist her USA teammates in reclaiming the women’s gymnastics team title lost in Tokyo. Back then, she had begun the final but was unable to complete it due to the ‘twisties’ during her vault.
In the bustling Bercy Arena, with celebrities like Serena Williams, Michael Phelps, and Bill Gates in attendance, Biles launched off the table, executed a flawless twist, and landed gracefully, breaking into a broad smile as the crowd erupted in cheers.
“After I finished my vault, I felt a huge sense of relief – I thought, ‘Yes, no flashbacks’,” Biles, 27, shared.
She felt a deep relief, and as soon as she landed, she knew victory was within reach.
And she was correct. SimoneBiles and her teammates secured gold by a significant margin, ahead of Italy and Brazil.
Once Biles landed her vault in the first round, she appeared more relaxed, high-fiving her teammates Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera, who then performed a series of impressive routines.
In Tokyo, Biles had been sidelined by a mental block that affected her performance, forcing her to withdraw from four individual finals. Although she returned to compete in the beam final, taking an emotional bronze, it wasn’t until now, eight years after her four gold medals in Rio 2016, that she could once again stand atop the Olympic podium.
“Now that I’m older, we have so much more experience, and we’re genuinely enjoying ourselves – it’s a different experience,” she reflected on her 2016 and 2024 team golds.
Biles has qualified for four more finals in Paris, with her next chance for a medal in Thursday’s all-around final.
After the events in Tokyo, it seemed we might have seen the last of Biles at the Olympics. But she’s proven that her presence in the sport is truly exceptional.
Returning to gymnastics last summer after a two-year hiatus, Biles quickly demonstrated that she remained at the top of her game, if not even better. She clinched a sixth world all-around title, showcased some of the most complex gymnastics, and introduced a new skill, the Biles II vault – her fifth move named after her.
Entering these Olympics, she even submitted a new uneven bars move to the gymnastics federation, positioning herself to be the only active gymnast with skills named after her on all four apparatuses if she performs it here.
Biles has pushed boundaries beyond just her performances on the mats. Her openness about her mental health in Tokyo sparked important discussions, emphasizing that personal well-being surpasses medals.
Her recent Netflix documentary delves into the pressures of expectation, the impact of being labeled a “quitter,” and the difficult burden of coping with the aftermath of the Larry Nassar abuse scandal without her family in Tokyo.
In the documentary, Biles reveals the “forbidden Olympic closet” where she kept items from those Games, a space where she spent considerable time in tears.
She has described the efforts and therapy needed to return to winning Olympic gold, noting that she had “started off with therapy this morning” before the team final.
Biles has made her comeback on her own terms, with no external pressures. The team has alleviated the burden by not requiring her to compete in every event, and she has avoided speaking to reporters after training or qualifying sessions.
These Games are different from Tokyo – her husband is present, fans are back, and attitudes towards mental health have evolved.
And now, the world’s most decorated gymnast has a new Olympic gold medal.
