by Sportswriters He Leijing, Li Dian and Lu Xianting
PARIS, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- As Simone Biles took to the mat for her final floor exercise, the rhythmic beats of the music accompanied her graceful yet powerful flips and twists. The entire Bercy Arena, including notable spectators like Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, erupted in cheers even before her scores flashed on the screen, sensing the gravity of the moment. Their thunderous applause spoke volumes - Biles had clinched a significant gold medal.
The crowd, rising in unison, then held their breath as they awaited the final score.
It's a big 15.066!
When the numbers lit up the screen, the packed arena exploded into a frenzy of jubilation. Once again, Biles reigned supreme in the gymnastics world.
The audience's ovation was thunderous, and some of the elite players of the USA Basketball men's team added their voices to the resounding celebration with chants of "U-S-A" echoing throughout the venue. Sunisa Lee, the defending all-around gold medalist who took home the bronze this time, joined in the applause, honoring Biles' extraordinary triumph.
Biles has now etched her name in history as the third woman to clinch two all-around Olympic titles, following in the footsteps of Vera Caslavska and Larisa Latynina. Remarkably, she is the first to achieve this feat in non-consecutive editions, having previously won in 2016 and now, after an eight-year hiatus.
"It's been eight years. It feels amazing. I was a little bit naive in the process. So I appreciate my craft a little bit more," she said. "I'm super excited to go home and celebrate with family and friends."
With six career gold medals, the 27-year-old stands alone in the American gymnast record books, boasting a total of nine Olympic medals, six of them gold. Her unparalleled tally of 39 medals across world championships and Olympics is unmatched by any gymnast, male or female.
After Team USA's fresh team final victory, Biles unveiled the team's nickname: Golden Girls. She posted on social media that the team has an average age of 22.2 years, making it the oldest U.S. women's gymnastics team to win gold.
And the golden girl's victory has marked her as the oldest women's all-around champion since 1952, when Maria Gorokhovskaya won gold at the Helsinki Games at age 30.
The award ceremony was graced by the presence of International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, who personally awarded the medals to Biles, her teammate Lee, and Brazilian silver medalist Rebeca Andrade, an honor rarely bestowed at other events.
However, Biles' path to victory was not without hurdles. She started strong with a massive 15.766 on vault but stumbled to third place after a shaky performance on the uneven bars, scoring 13.733. A near miss on the high bar altered her momentum, forcing her to bend her legs to avoid a fall - a sequence that nearly cost her the title.
"It was an unfortunate mistake, but I knew to just keep pushing and to not give up. And that's exactly what you saw out there," she reflected.
Biles quickly regained her composure. On the balance beam, an apparatus as narrow as a cell phone, she performed with confidence, earning a score of 14.566 and reclaiming her first-place position. Then, she just sealed the deal with a flawless floor exercise.
"I'm just ecstatic with my performances tonight. Now it's time to have fun and the hard part is over," she said after the game.
The Olympian has consistently pushed the boundaries of gymnastics, performing skills that others dare not attempt. She has five skills named after her, including the Yurchenko double pike vault, so challenging that few men even attempt it.
Beyond her athletic prowess, Biles has become a beacon of inspiration. Her ordeal during the Tokyo Olympics where the "twisties" jeopardized her sense of spatial awareness, shed light on the mental health struggles of elite athletes. By withdrawing from multiple events in Tokyo, she made it acceptable for others to acknowledge their struggles.
"They always call me the GOAT, so I thought it would be really special if I got one made," Biles stated. "In the Village I have a stuffed goat. Just to get a reminder. Like 'You can go out there, you can do it. You've done it before. So let's go'."
Now, having overcome her inner demons, the American legend has emphatically declared her return to the pinnacle of gymnastics.
