Simone Biles says all-around gymnastics gold at 2024 Paris Olympic Games ‘exceeded my wildest dreams’
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Updated 02/08/2024 at 00:18 GMT+1
Simone Biles has won her sixth gold in the women's all-around at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The 27-year-old has become the oldest gymnast to win the individual all-around event in 72 years. In a nailing-biting final, Biles was crowned champion once again to "exceeded her wildest dreams," after beating Sunisa Lee and Rebeca Andrade in the women's all-around individual final.
'I've exceeded my wildest expectations' - Biles reacts to all-around gold medal
Video credit: TNT Sports
Simone Biles made history after becoming the oldest competitor in 72 years to win the women's individual all-around in gymnastics at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
After stunning fans on the vault as she landed her world-famous double Yurchenko Pike, the hardest move in the women's competition, Biles struggled slightly on the uneven bars.
There was no room for error on her final rotation as she had to fend off Rebeca Andrade to clinch gold in the event.
After blowing the rest of the competition out of the water in the floor routine, she spoke to Eurosport about her performance.
After a wobble on the uneven bars in the early stages of the event, the tension rose in the Bercy Arena as Andrade moved into pole position.
Biles recovered well on the balance beam to score 14.566 to bring her ahead of Andrade with a total score of 44.065.
"I was a little bit worried about Rebeca, we were neck and neck the whole way through," Biles said. "She is a phenomenal gymnast so I was excited that she was there to push me."
It was the floor routine that sorted out the medals. A stunning performance from USA team-mate Sunisa Lee landed her firmly on the podium.
Andrade scored 14.033, after a slight stumble hindered her performance, and Biles needed to produce a special performance to win gold.
Performing an exquisite floor routine, Biles scored a stunning 15.066 to pip Andrade to gold by 1.199 points.
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Watch Biles clinch all-around gold with exquisite floor routine
Video credit: TNT Sports
'I don't think I would've been here tonight'
"I am ecstatic in my performances," Biles said. "Obviously bars did not go the way that I wanted to, but everything else was pretty good. I couldn't have asked for more.
"I just wanted to come into this competition and do the best that I could and I think that showed out there."
After struggling at the delayed Tokyo Olympics, with a case of the 'twisties,' a mental block where gymnasts lose awareness of where they are when they are airborne, she missed out on gold.
She said: "100% I don't think I would've been here tonight if I didn't put the mental work in."
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'The haters hate it' - Biles on GOAT necklace after winning all-around gold medal
Video credit: TNT Sports
An inspiration for all
Wearing her silver goat necklace, an ode to the acronym GOAT (Greatest of All Time), the 27-year-old spoke about how her performances in gymnastics have resonated globally.
Biles said: "When I started, I thought I maybe could do college gymnastics, and now I have exceeded my wildest dreams.
"I know all the boys and girls are listening, you can do it. Keep your head on straight, have fun and dream big."
The six-time gold medallist now has her eyes on more glory for the rest of the Summer Games, but with the pressure off.
"I am going to take it day by day now," Biles said. "The hard part is done, so it is the easy part, so let's have some fun."
discovery+ is the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024 this summer
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