PARIS — PARIS (AP) — Simone Biles is getting kind of old for this. Just maybe not too old to keep going.
Maybe.
Minutes after the American gymnastics star won the seventh Olympic gold of her career on Saturday in a vault final that left little doubt that even at 27 she remains in a class by herself, she played coy when asked if the event marked the final time she would ever explode off the springboard in competition.
Sustaining Success at an Older Age
While Biles allowed she was officially retiring her eponymous Yurchenko double pike vault because “I kind of nailed that one” at the< a class="zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE " data-testid="prism-linkbase" href="">Paris Olympics, she didn’t rule out a return to the Games when they move to Los Angeles in 2028.
“Never say never,” Biles said. “Next Olympics are at home. So you just never know. I am getting really old.”
At times, it’s hard to tell.
Her sequined red leotard a blur in the air, Biles averaged 15.300 on her two vaults to claim a second gold in the event eight years after she triumphed in Rio de Janeiro.
Overcoming Challenges
Three years ago in the run-up to Tokyo she tinkered with the Yurchenko double pike, the hardest vault ever done by a woman, but she didn’t get a chance to throw it in the Olympics. She opted instead for an Amanar, which requires 2 1/2 twists.
That changed in the team final when the “twisties” she’d been experiencing forced her to bail out of an Amanar and multiple event finals, forever altering the course of her career.
The experience left both Biles and co-coach Laurent Landi a little “traumatized,” as Biles put it. They both agreed there was no need to revisit the Amanar while preparing for Paris.
Yet rather than opt for something easier, they chose something even more difficult. Fitting for an athlete who needs to be challenged to stay engaged.
The Yurchenko double pike requires Biles to race down the runway before doing a roundoff/back handspring onto the table followed by two backward flips with her arms clasped behind her knees.
Adding to the insight, Biles’ approach to continue challenging herself with difficult routines showcases her resilience and dedication to the sport.
Chasing Olympic Medals
Biles has 10 career medals, tied for the third most by a female gymnast in Olympic history. Two more before she heads back to Texas and she would find herself all alone in second behind Larisa Latynina, who piled up 18 while competing for the Soviet Union in the 1950s and ’60s.
Catching Latynina seems unlikely. Not that it matters much to the “Greatest of All Time.” She’s gained something far more valuable anyway: silence.
Adding another perspective, the focus on Biles’ continued success and her ability to silence critics highlight her mental fortitude and unmatched athleticism.
Other Standout Performances
Rhys McClenaghan delivered Ireland’s first medal in Olympic gymnastics by edging Nariman Kurbanov of Kazakhstan and American star Stephen Nedoroscik in a taut pommel horse final.
Carlos Yulo won the second Olympic gold medal ever for the Philippines, edging defending champion Artem Dolgopyat of Israel in the men’s floor exercise finals.
Highlighting standout performances from other gymnasts in the competition emphasizes the diverse talent and global representation in the sport.
___
Associated Press Writer Samuel Petrequin contributed to this report.
___
PARIS — PARIS (AP) — Simone Biles is getting kind of old for this. Just maybe not too old to keep going.
Maybe.
Minutes after the American gymnastics star won the seventh Olympic gold of her career on Saturday in a vault final that left little doubt that even at 27 she remains in a class by herself, she played coy when asked if the event marked the final time she would ever explode off the springboard in competition.
Sustaining Success at an Older Age
While Biles allowed she was officially retiring her eponymous Yurchenko double pike vault because “I kind of nailed that one” at the< a class="zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE " data-testid="prism-linkbase" href="">Paris Olympics, she didn’t rule out a return to the Games when they move to Los Angeles in 2028.
“Never say never,” Biles said. “Next Olympics are at home. So you just never know. I am getting really old.”
At times, it’s hard to tell.
Her sequined red leotard a blur in the air, Biles averaged 15.300 on her two vaults to claim a second gold in the event eight years after she triumphed in Rio de Janeiro.
Overcoming Challenges
Three years ago in the run-up to Tokyo she tinkered with the Yurchenko double pike, the hardest vault ever done by a woman, but she didn’t get a chance to throw it in the Olympics. She opted instead for an Amanar, which requires 2 1/2 twists.
That changed in the team final when the “twisties” she’d been experiencing forced her to bail out of an Amanar and multiple event finals, forever altering the course of her career.
The experience left both Biles and co-coach Laurent Landi a little “traumatized,” as Biles put it. They both agreed there was no need to revisit the Amanar while preparing for Paris.
Yet rather than opt for something easier, they chose something even more difficult. Fitting for an athlete who needs to be challenged to stay engaged.
The Yurchenko double pike requires Biles to race down the runway before doing a roundoff/back handspring onto the table followed by two backward flips with her arms clasped behind her knees.
Adding to the insight, Biles’ approach to continue challenging herself with difficult routines showcases her resilience and dedication to the sport.
Chasing Olympic Medals
Biles has 10 career medals, tied for the third most by a female gymnast in Olympic history. Two more before she heads back to Texas and she would find herself all alone in second behind Larisa Latynina, who piled up 18 while competing for the Soviet Union in the 1950s and ’60s.
Catching Latynina seems unlikely. Not that it matters much to the “Greatest of All Time.” She’s gained something far more valuable anyway: silence.
Adding another perspective, the focus on Biles’ continued success and her ability to silence critics highlight her mental fortitude and unmatched athleticism.
Other Standout Performances
Rhys McClenaghan delivered Ireland’s first medal in Olympic gymnastics by edging Nariman Kurbanov of Kazakhstan and American star Stephen Nedoroscik in a taut pommel horse final.
Carlos Yulo won the second Olympic gold medal ever for the Philippines, edging defending champion Artem Dolgopyat of Israel in the men’s floor exercise finals.
Highlighting standout performances from other gymnasts in the competition emphasizes the diverse talent and global representation in the sport.
___
Associated Press Writer Samuel Petrequin contributed to this report.
___
