You may have seen both male and female gymnasts win many Olympic medals, such as Kohei Uchimura, Jordan Chiles, Gabby Douglas, Shannon Miller, and many more. But Simone Biles, a 30-time world champion and an all-around Olympic champion, is considered the best gymnast in history. Biles started gymnastics at around the age of six and quickly fell in love with the sport. She has been doing gymnastics for over twenty years, consistently being the best at her level and winning medals left and right.
When Simone was nineteen years old, she qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Although it was her first time at the Olympics, she won four gold medals. Biles set the American record for the most gold medals in women’s gymnastics at a single Olympic Games. The average age to qualify for the Olympics is typically around twenty-seven, so to qualify at just nineteen is remarkable. This accomplishment speaks volumes about her talent, which is backed by hours of hard work and dedication.
Although Simone is skilled in all of the events, she is particularly strong in floor and vault. Biles has five skills named after her, each of them representing her incredible mastery in various gymnastics disciplines, including floor, vault, uneven bars, and the balance beam. The most difficult skill named after her is the “Biles II” on vault, a double pike off the vault. Another difficult skill Biles has mastered is the triple-double on the floor. During the U.S. 2024 Olympic trials, Biles performed this skill, achieving a remarkable twelve feet of height despite the floor being only slightly bouncy. For someone who stands at just 4’8″, her incredible power and control make her a dominant force in the sport.
At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, Biles won four medals, three of them gold, at the age of twenty-seven. She scored a total of 59.566 at the Paris Olympics, and her highest score to date was 60.450 at the 2024 U.S. Championships.
According to an article on nbcolympics.com, Gymnastics 101: Olympic scoring, rules, and regulations, the author explains, “Each Execution Score starts at 10.0 points. The judges on the execution panel deduct points for errors, such as steps on landings, falls, flexed feet, bent knees, etc. The Difficulty Score starts at zero, and an athlete earns points for composition requirements, the difficulty of the elements, and the connection value. In women’s gymnastics, each routine receives points for the eight most difficult elements, while in men’s gymnastics, 10 are counted.” Each gymnast is scored based on the event they perform, and the total score is the sum of all their events. The overall score can determine if they win a medal, and they can also earn a medal for a single event performance.
To sum it up, Simone Biles is considered the greatest gymnast in the history of women’s gymnastics. The number of awards and the dedication she has shown to the sport is extraordinary. Her power in gymnastics is unmatched by any other gymnast in history. This is evident in her seven Olympic gold medals, 30 World Championships, and 23 gold medals. She never gives up, even when it feels like she can’t achieve her goal. Simone Biles embodies resilience—always striving to try again, no matter the challenge. She is a true worldwide champion.