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She is now the most decorated gymnast in world-history and just in case there were any doubts over her athletic prowess (and how could there be?), Biles is also set to have two brand-new original gymnastics moves named after her
Simone Biles is only 22 years old, and she is officially the most decorated female gymnast in the world. On Tuesday, she won a record 21st medal at the world gymnastics championships. Biles’ 15th career gold medal brings her a total of 21 medals, breaking a tie with the Russian gymnast Svetlana Khorkina for the most medals by a woman at the world championships.
And with four Olympic gold medals, 14 world titles, she is now is expected to have her third and fourth signature moves named after her.
At the world championships in Stuttgart, Germany, on Saturday, Biles performed two new skills which had never been performed before – by her or anyone else.
Related: Watch: Simone Biles makes history at the U.S Gymnastics Championships
For the first move, the star gymnast dismounted the balance beam by doing a double twist into a double backflip — also known as a double-double. For the second, Biles ended her first tumbling pass with a triple-double — which is a triple twist into a double backflip.
Team USA announced both new skills are expected to be named after Biles — “The Biles” for the beam landing and “The Biles II” for the triple-double on the floor.
To have a move named after them, a gymnast needs to successfully perform that move in the World Championships or at the Olympics. The newest moves both still need to be approved by the Federation of International Gymnastics, Good Morning America reports but you can watch them below.
Competing at the 2019 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany, the 22-year-old successfully landed a triple-double – a windy move involving a double backflip and three twists – during her floor routine. USA Gymnastics later tweeted that the unprecedented move would be officially dubbed the “Biles II”.
This came shortly after she did an unprecedented double-double dismount – a backflip with two twists – on the balance beam, to also be named the “Biles”.
“Every year it feels better and better just because we’re adding to the legacy,” Biles told the New York Times of her win this week. “I feel like I never think of records. I just go out there and do what I came to do, which is compete for the country.”
Modest she may be, but there’s no doubting this extraordinary athlete is setting an unprecedented standard of excellence in her sport – and one that so many young women will want to follow.
Main photograph: @ajplus
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