The 2025 ESPY Awards took place on Wednesday (Jul 16), at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Top athletes from around the world gathered to celebrate the most memorable sports moments of the year. From big wins to powerful comebacks, the night was full of emotion and excitement. The event was hosted by comedian Shane Gillis, who brought humour and energy to the show.&nbsp;The ESPYs, run by ESPN since 1993, recognise the top performers in sports every year. Here's a look at some of the major winners -<h2>Complete list of winners at 2025 ESPY awards</h2><ul><li>Best Male Athlete: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (NBA – Oklahoma City Thunder)</li><li>Best Female Athlete: Simone Biles (Gymnastics)</li><li>Breakthrough Athlete: Ilona Maher (Rugby)</li><li>Record-Breaking Performance: Alexander Ovechkin (NHL – Washington Capitals)</li><li>Best Championship Performance: Simone Biles (2024 Olympics, Women’s All-Around)</li><li>Best Comeback: Suni Lee (Gymnastics)</li><li>Best Play: Saquon Barkley’s reverse hurdle (NFL – November 3, 2024)</li><li>Best Team: Philadelphia Eagles (NFL)</li></ul><h2>College athletes of the year at 2025 ESPY awards</h2><ul><li>Men’s Sports: Cooper Flagg (Duke Basketball)</li><li>Women’s Sports: JuJu Watkins (USC Basketball)</li></ul>Also Read - The Open 2025: Date, tee time, venue, prize money and all you need to know<h2>Players with Disability to win at 2025 ESPY awards</h2><ul><li>Winner: Noah Elliott (Snowboarding)</li></ul><h2>Top performers by Sport at 2025 ESPY awards</h2><ul><li>NFL: Saquon Barkley (Philadelphia Eagles)</li><li>MLB: Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers)</li><li>NHL: Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers)</li><li>NBA: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)</li><li>WNBA: Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever)</li><li>F1: Max Verstappen</li><li>UFC: Merab Dvalishvili</li><li>Boxing: Katie Taylor</li><li>Soccer: Christian Pulisic (AC Milan, USA)</li><li>Golf: Scottie Scheffler</li><li>Tennis: Coco Gauff</li></ul><h2>Gatorade Player of the Year awards</h2><ul><li>Female Athlete: Jane Hedengren (Cross Country / Track &amp; Field)</li><li>Male Athlete: Cameron Boozer (Basketball)</li></ul>The ESPY Awards 2025 were more than just an award ceremony. It was proof that the human spirit can do anything in sports. ESPY is a great platform to facilitate sports stars succeeding in their respective fields. It helps to unite and provide recognition to those who deserve it.&nbsp;

The 2025 ESPY Awards were hosted by comedian Shane Gillis, who brought humour and energy to the show. Let's have a look at some of the major winners of this event.

The 2025 ESPY Awards took place on Wednesday (Jul 16), at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Top athletes from around the world gathered to celebrate the most memorable sports moments of the year. From big wins to powerful comebacks, the night was full of emotion and excitement. The event was hosted by comedian Shane Gillis, who brought humour and energy to the show. The ESPYs, run by ESPN since 1993, recognise the top performers in sports every year. Here's a look at some of the major winners - Complete list of winners at 2025 ESPY awards Best Male Athlete: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (NBA – Oklahoma City Thunder) Best Female Athlete: Simone Biles (Gymnastics) Breakthrough Athlete: Ilona Maher (Rugby) Record-Breaking Performance: Alexander Ovechkin (NHL – Washington Capitals) Best Championship Performance: Simone Biles (2024 Olympics, Women’s All-Around) Best Comeback: Suni Lee (Gymnastics) Best Play: Saquon Barkley’s reverse hurdle (NFL – November 3, 2024) Best Team: Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) College athletes of the year at 2025 ESPY awards Men’s Sports: Cooper Flagg (Duke Basketball) Women’s Sports: JuJu Watkins (USC Basketball) Also Read - The Open 2025: Date, tee time, venue, prize money and all you need to know Players with Disability to win at 2025 ESPY awards Winner: Noah Elliott (Snowboarding) Top performers by Sport at 2025 ESPY awards NFL: Saquon Barkley (Philadelphia Eagles) MLB: Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers) NHL: Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers) NBA: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) WNBA: Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever) F1: Max Verstappen UFC: Merab Dvalishvili Boxing: Katie Taylor Soccer: Christian Pulisic (AC Milan, USA) Golf: Scottie Scheffler Tennis: Coco Gauff Gatorade Player of the Year awards Female Athlete: Jane Hedengren (Cross Country / Track & Field) Male Athlete: Cameron Boozer (Basketball) The ESPY Awards 2025 were more than just an award ceremony. It was proof that the human spirit can do anything in sports. ESPY is a great platform to facilitate sports stars succeeding in their respective fields. It helps to unite and provide recognition to those who deserve it.

The 2025 ESPY Awards were hosted by comedian Shane Gillis, who brought humour and energy to the show. Let's have a look at some of the major winners of this event.

ESPY awards 2025 winners list: Who took home biggest honors this year? Check full list inside

United States gymnast and Olympics gold medallist Simone Biles made her country proud once again at the Paris Olympics. The 27-year-old won three gold medals and a silver at the games, totalling 11 Olympic medals in her entire career to date.&nbsp;

But besides gymnastics, Simone also indulged in a bit of partying in Paris to celebrate her success. After the closing ceremony, she went to a nightclub with friends and ordered a bottle of wine. She was in utter disbelief&nbsp;when the club quoted the price of the bottle - $26,000.&nbsp;

Talking about the incident on TikTok, filming herself doing her makeup, Simone said, "After [closing ceremonies] we went out. You guys, this club tried to charge me $26,000 for a bottle of champagne. Like are you insane?"

Simone was in shock at hearing the price of the champagne and "obviously didn't buy it". She said, "But why would you even try to play me like that? That’s wild."

Later in the video, she talks about how sporting accolades is probably the reason people try to take advantage. "I don’t know sometimes, the attention, I’d rather not have it," Simone said.

"I rather just be as normal as possible, I don’t know."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-olympics-2024-usa-gymnast-simone-biles-caps-splendid-campaign-with-three-golds-and-a-silver-747496">Paris Olympics 2024: USA gymnast Simone Biles caps splendid campaign with three golds and a silver</a>

People in the comments section joined Simone to show disbelief about the price of the champagne bottle. No matter how swanky and luxe the Paris club might have been, nothing can justify a price tag of $26,000 for a bottle of champagne.&nbsp;

"$26k is crazy omg," one user wrote. Another added, "$26k??? That’s insane!"

<h2> 
Simone Biles gymnastics career</h2>

Biles is considered to be the greatest gymnast of all time. At the Paris Games, she won two Olympic all-around and vault titles and became the first American woman to do so. Biles has been crowned World individual all-around champion six times at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships - in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2023. 
&nbsp;

United States gymnast and Olympics gold medallist Simone Biles made her country proud once again at the Paris Olympics. The 27-year-old won three gold medals and a silver at the games, totalling 11 Olympic medals in her entire career to date.

United States gymnast and Olympics gold medallist Simone Biles made her country proud once again at the Paris Olympics. The 27-year-old won three gold medals and a silver at the games, totalling 11 Olympic medals in her entire career to date. But besides gymnastics, Simone also indulged in a bit of partying in Paris to celebrate her success. After the closing ceremony, she went to a nightclub with friends and ordered a bottle of wine. She was in utter disbelief when the club quoted the price of the bottle - $26,000. Talking about the incident on TikTok, filming herself doing her makeup, Simone said, "After [closing ceremonies] we went out. You guys, this club tried to charge me $26,000 for a bottle of champagne. Like are you insane?" Simone was in shock at hearing the price of the champagne and "obviously didn't buy it". She said, "But why would you even try to play me like that? That’s wild." Later in the video, she talks about how sporting accolades is probably the reason people try to take advantage. "I don’t know sometimes, the attention, I’d rather not have it," Simone said. "I rather just be as normal as possible, I don’t know." Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: USA gymnast Simone Biles caps splendid campaign with three golds and a silver People in the comments section joined Simone to show disbelief about the price of the champagne bottle. No matter how swanky and luxe the Paris club might have been, nothing can justify a price tag of $26,000 for a bottle of champagne. "$26k is crazy omg," one user wrote. Another added, "$26k??? That’s insane!" Simone Biles gymnastics career Biles is considered to be the greatest gymnast of all time. At the Paris Games, she won two Olympic all-around and vault titles and became the first American woman to do so. Biles has been crowned World individual all-around champion six times at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships - in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2023.

Simone Biles SHOCKED to see price of champagne bottle at a Paris club. 'Are you insane?'

It definitely was not the ending Simone Biles was expecting as she was surprisingly upstaged in the floor exercise final by Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade -- but a silver medal on Monday capped the American's remarkable Olympic comeback.

Paris Olympics 2024: Simone Biles upstaged by Rebeca Andrade in floor final at Paris Games

Developments coming in from Paris Olympics 2024 American gymnast Simone Biles missed out on gold in her final two events at the Paris Olympics and that means Biles ends her third and perhaps the final Olympics with three gold medals and one silver.

US gymnastics superstar Simone Biles polished off a redemptive Paris Olympics campaign with a floor exercise silver on Monday, shrugging off a balance beam fall to finish runner-up to Brazilian Rebeca Andrade.

Biles went into the final day of competition with a chance to push her tally of Paris gold to a record-setting five in one Games.

She had already led the United States to team gold, regained the all-around crown she first won as part of a four-gold haul in Rio in 2016 and soared to vault gold.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-olympics-2024-its-crazy-philippines-gymnast-carlos-yulo-awarded-with-free-ramen-for-twin-golds-747437">Paris Olympics 2024: 'It's crazy...,' Philippines gymnast Carlos Yulo awarded with 'free ramen' for twin golds</a>

She couldn't find her way back to the top of the podium on Monday, but Biles said she'd leave Paris proud of all four of the medals that took her career total to eleven.

"Today has been absolutely wild," Biles said, adding that she was "actually very happy, proud and even more excited that it's over".

"I've accomplished way more than my wildest dreams not just at this Olympics but in the sport," said Biles, who owns a jaw-dropping 41 world and Olympic medals -- 30 of them gold.

"So I can't be mad at my performances," she added. "A couple of years ago I didn't think I'd be back here at an Olympic Games, so competing and then walking away with four medals. I'm pretty proud of myself."

Two out-of-bounds errors proved costly in Biles's otherwise breathtaking final floor routine.

Andrade had already moved into first place with an energetic and elegant performance that garnered 14.166 points.

Biles earned 14.133 for silver ahead of teammate Jordan Chiles, who took bronze with 13.766. Chiles's score was upgraded after a review of her degree of difficulty, a devastating blow for Romania's Ana Barbosu who thought she had bagged bronze with her score of 13.700.

Biles's legion of fans gave her a standing ovation anyway, and the American departed the floor mat with both arms raised in acknowledgement.

Her earlier fall from the beam -- one of several in the final -- was the first major hiccup of her triumphant Olympic return, three years after a bout of the disorientating "twisties" cut short her Tokyo Games campaign.

Biles finished fifth in beam, where Alice D'Amato became the first Italian woman gymnast to claim Olympic gold with a score of 14.366.

Teammate Manila Esposito joined D'Amato on the podium in third, with China's Zhou Yuqin taking silver.

The treacherous nature of the 10cm-wide beam was clear when the first three starters made big mistakes.

China's world silver medallist Zhou lost her balance and had to grab the beam to avoid coming off.

American medal contender Sunisa Lee took a hard fall onto the beam when her foot slipped at the end of an aerial series. Brazilian Julia Suarez also fell and Romanian Sabrina Maneca-Voinea fell twice.

D'Amato had a couple of minor wobbles in an otherwise impeccable routine to seize first place just before Biles competed.

The US superstar, again greeted rapturously by a Bercy Arena crowd dotted with celebrities, made a confident start.

But she, too, slipped off at the end of an aerial series, drawing a collective gasp from the crowd.

Biles said the lack of music during the beam routines -- which made random crowd noises such as phones and cameras more noticeable -- made for a "really weird and awkward" atmosphere.

"None of us liked it," she said. "It was an odd beam final."

Visibly disappointed, Biles had to wait an agonizingly long time for her score of 13.100 to be posted.

That was nowhere near good enough, and Biles's chance to join Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina and US swimmer Katie Ledecky as the only women to pile up nine Olympic golds was over -- at least for this year.

The 27-year-old hasn't quite ruled out a return for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

<h2>- Oka treble -</h2>

Japan's Shinnosuke Oka nabbed his third gold of the Games, adding the horizontal bar gold to his team and all-around titles.

In another apparatus final littered with mistakes, Oka edged 17-year-old Colombian Angel Barajas.

They finished with the same score of 14.533 but Oka, 20, pocketed the gold thanks to a higher score for execution.

There was nothing to separate China's Zhang Boheng and Taiwan's Tang Chia-Hung, who shared bronze on 13.966.

Oka added a fourth medal, bronze, in a parallel bars final won by China's defending champion Zou Jingyuan.

Zou scored a massive 16.200 points to retain the title he won in Tokyo in emphatic style, adding a first Paris gold to his team and rings silvers.

Ukraine's Illia Kovtun took silver with 15.500 points ahead of Oka's 15.300.

(Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.)

US gymnastics superstar Simone Biles polished off a redemptive Paris Olympics campaign with a floor exercise silver on Monday, shrugging off a balance beam fall to finish runner-up to Brazilian Rebeca Andrade.

US gymnastics superstar Simone Biles polished off a redemptive Paris Olympics campaign with a floor exercise silver on Monday, shrugging off a balance beam fall to finish runner-up to Brazilian Rebeca Andrade. Biles went into the final day of competition with a chance to push her tally of Paris gold to a record-setting five in one Games. She had already led the United States to team gold, regained the all-around crown she first won as part of a four-gold haul in Rio in 2016 and soared to vault gold. Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: 'It's crazy...,' Philippines gymnast Carlos Yulo awarded with 'free ramen' for twin golds She couldn't find her way back to the top of the podium on Monday, but Biles said she'd leave Paris proud of all four of the medals that took her career total to eleven. "Today has been absolutely wild," Biles said, adding that she was "actually very happy, proud and even more excited that it's over". "I've accomplished way more than my wildest dreams not just at this Olympics but in the sport," said Biles, who owns a jaw-dropping 41 world and Olympic medals -- 30 of them gold. "So I can't be mad at my performances," she added. "A couple of years ago I didn't think I'd be back here at an Olympic Games, so competing and then walking away with four medals. I'm pretty proud of myself." Two out-of-bounds errors proved costly in Biles's otherwise breathtaking final floor routine. Andrade had already moved into first place with an energetic and elegant performance that garnered 14.166 points. Biles earned 14.133 for silver ahead of teammate Jordan Chiles, who took bronze with 13.766. Chiles's score was upgraded after a review of her degree of difficulty, a devastating blow for Romania's Ana Barbosu who thought she had bagged bronze with her score of 13.700. Biles's legion of fans gave her a standing ovation anyway, and the American departed the floor mat with both arms raised in acknowledgement. Her earlier fall from the beam -- one of several in the final -- was the first major hiccup of her triumphant Olympic return, three years after a bout of the disorientating "twisties" cut short her Tokyo Games campaign. Biles finished fifth in beam, where Alice D'Amato became the first Italian woman gymnast to claim Olympic gold with a score of 14.366. Teammate Manila Esposito joined D'Amato on the podium in third, with China's Zhou Yuqin taking silver. The treacherous nature of the 10cm-wide beam was clear when the first three starters made big mistakes. China's world silver medallist Zhou lost her balance and had to grab the beam to avoid coming off. American medal contender Sunisa Lee took a hard fall onto the beam when her foot slipped at the end of an aerial series. Brazilian Julia Suarez also fell and Romanian Sabrina Maneca-Voinea fell twice. D'Amato had a couple of minor wobbles in an otherwise impeccable routine to seize first place just before Biles competed. The US superstar, again greeted rapturously by a Bercy Arena crowd dotted with celebrities, made a confident start. But she, too, slipped off at the end of an aerial series, drawing a collective gasp from the crowd. Biles said the lack of music during the beam routines -- which made random crowd noises such as phones and cameras more noticeable -- made for a "really weird and awkward" atmosphere. "None of us liked it," she said. "It was an odd beam final." Visibly disappointed, Biles had to wait an agonizingly long time for her score of 13.100 to be posted. That was nowhere near good enough, and Biles's chance to join Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina and US swimmer Katie Ledecky as the only women to pile up nine Olympic golds was over -- at least for this year. The 27-year-old hasn't quite ruled out a return for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. - Oka treble - Japan's Shinnosuke Oka nabbed his third gold of the Games, adding the horizontal bar gold to his team and all-around titles. In another apparatus final littered with mistakes, Oka edged 17-year-old Colombian Angel Barajas. They finished with the same score of 14.533 but Oka, 20, pocketed the gold thanks to a higher score for execution. There was nothing to separate China's Zhang Boheng and Taiwan's Tang Chia-Hung, who shared bronze on 13.966. Oka added a fourth medal, bronze, in a parallel bars final won by China's defending champion Zou Jingyuan. Zou scored a massive 16.200 points to retain the title he won in Tokyo in emphatic style, adding a first Paris gold to his team and rings silvers. Ukraine's Illia Kovtun took silver with 15.500 points ahead of Oka's 15.300. (Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.)

Paris Olympics 2024: USA gymnast Simone Biles caps splendid campaign with three golds and a silver

Simone Biles soared to women's vault gold on Saturday, her gravity-defying Yurchenko double pike propelling her to a third triumph of the Paris Games and her seventh career Olympic crown.

Biles, who led the United States to team gold before grabbing all-around gold, produced a pair of stunning vaults to notch a resounding victory over Olympic and world champion Rebeca Andrade of Brazil.

American Jade Carey took bronze.

Biles took control with her opening vault, the Yurchenko double pike now named the Biles II.

Her height off the vault table was astonishing, and even though her momentum carried her back a step on landing, her execution score of 9.4, along with the 6.4 difficulty score for the move so tough no other woman attempts it, earned 15.700.

Biles produced another soaring effort on her second vault, a Cheng, scoring 14.900 for a winning average of 15.300.

Andrade opened with a beautiful Cheng vault that garnered 15.100 points and had a slight hop on landing of her second vault for a 14.833 and an average of 14.966.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics-2024-india-shooter-manu-bhaker-reveals-this-is-why-she-lost-on-third-medal-at-paris-games-746824">Olympics 2024: India shooter Manu Bhaker reveals THIS IS WHY she lost on third medal at Paris Games</a>

Carey was the last of eight finalists and snatched bronze with an average of 14.466, denying North Korea's An Chang Ok.

Biles, clad in shimmering red, gave a big smile as she received another rapturous reception at Bercy Arena.

Her smile was just as big as she saluted the judges after landing her second vault, and she was still smiling as she high-fived coach Laurent Landi.

The US great now owns a total of 40 world and Olympic medals -- 30 of them gold.

She could add to that tally on Monday, when she competes in the balance beam and floor exercise finals, capping her return to the Olympic pinnacle after a bout of the disorientating and dangerous mental block called the "twisties" saw her pull out of most of her events in Tokyo.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Simone Biles soared to women's vault gold on Saturday, her gravity-defying Yurchenko double pike propelling her to a third triumph of the Paris Games and her seventh career Olympic crown.

Simone Biles soared to women's vault gold on Saturday, her gravity-defying Yurchenko double pike propelling her to a third triumph of the Paris Games and her seventh career Olympic crown. Biles, who led the United States to team gold before grabbing all-around gold, produced a pair of stunning vaults to notch a resounding victory over Olympic and world champion Rebeca Andrade of Brazil. American Jade Carey took bronze. Biles took control with her opening vault, the Yurchenko double pike now named the Biles II. Her height off the vault table was astonishing, and even though her momentum carried her back a step on landing, her execution score of 9.4, along with the 6.4 difficulty score for the move so tough no other woman attempts it, earned 15.700. Biles produced another soaring effort on her second vault, a Cheng, scoring 14.900 for a winning average of 15.300. Andrade opened with a beautiful Cheng vault that garnered 15.100 points and had a slight hop on landing of her second vault for a 14.833 and an average of 14.966. ALSO READ | Olympics 2024: India shooter Manu Bhaker reveals THIS IS WHY she lost on third medal at Paris Games Carey was the last of eight finalists and snatched bronze with an average of 14.466, denying North Korea's An Chang Ok. Biles, clad in shimmering red, gave a big smile as she received another rapturous reception at Bercy Arena. Her smile was just as big as she saluted the judges after landing her second vault, and she was still smiling as she high-fived coach Laurent Landi. The US great now owns a total of 40 world and Olympic medals -- 30 of them gold. She could add to that tally on Monday, when she competes in the balance beam and floor exercise finals, capping her return to the Olympic pinnacle after a bout of the disorientating and dangerous mental block called the "twisties" saw her pull out of most of her events in Tokyo. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Olympics 2024: Simone Biles wins vault for third gymnastics gold

If anyone needed any confirmation about Simone Biles' standing in gymnastics, the sparkling GOAT necklace she slipped on and ecstatically showed off to a TV camera after she sealed the all around title at the Paris Olympics on Thursday verified her status as the greatest of all-time.&nbsp;

The world's most decorated gymnast clinched her sixth Olympic gold medal in front of a delirious crowd at Bercy Arena after she left all her challengers in her shade, completing a triumphant comeback three years after withdrawing from the same final at the Tokyo Games.

Aged 27, Biles edged past Brazil's Rebeca Andrade by 1.199 points to become the oldest athlete since 1952 to win the most coveted individual title in women's gymnastics.&nbsp;"My GOAT necklace is kind of an ode ... it is crazy that I am in the conversation of greatest of all athletes because I still just think that I'm Simone Biles from Spring, Texas who loves to flip," said the American who owns a jaw-dropping 39 world and Olympic medals.

In a tight race with Andrade, Biles was surprisingly left trailing in third place after a flawed performance on the uneven bars during the second rotation.&nbsp;

But if Andrade had started to fantasize about becoming the first Brazilian to win the Olympic event which requires female gymnasts to excel on all four apparatus, Biles brought her back to reality just 30 minutes later as she was back on top of the standings following a solid showing on the balance beam.&nbsp;

On the uneven bars, Biles got too much air on her flip as she transitioned from the higher to the lower bar and had to bend both knees to avoid touching the ground.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-olympics-2024-zheng-stuns-swiatek-as-alcaraz-closes-in-on-djokovic-clash-746386">Paris Olympics 2024: Zheng stuns Swiatek as Alcaraz closes in on Djokovic clash</a>

She also needed to take an extra swing to continue her routine on the apparatus. After completing her dismount, she looked really annoyed at herself for making the error as she walked off the mat.&nbsp;

Awarded 13.733 points, it was the worst score she had earned across all her performances to date in Paris. In fact it was the only time she failed to breach the 14-point barrier.&nbsp; "I don't even know how I held on to that," Biles could be heard saying immediately after the fumble.

A mistake that could have proven costly turned out to be a mere blip in Biles' charge towards victory. By the time she stood at the edge of the mat to start her final performance, she knew the gold would be hers provided she avoided any major mishaps during her floor exercise display.

ELECTRIFYING ROUTINE

Competing last, Biles executed an electrifying routine to secure the gold with a total of 59.131 points. Biles said having Andrade on her tail had made her nervous.&nbsp;"I don't want to compete with Rebecca no more. I'm tired. Rebeca pushes me to be my best, she's a phenomenal athlete," Biles said.&nbsp;"She's way too close. I've never had an athlete that close, so it definitely put me on my toes.

"On each event we're very similar in scores. I was like, 'okay, I think I have to bring out the big guns this time'," added the American who opted to execute the more difficult Yurchenko double pike vault knowing that she would be pushed all the way by Andrade.

In a sign of great camaraderie, a beaming Andrade applauded Biles as soon as the American had struck the final pose of her floor routine, sitting on the mat with her left hand covering her face. Andrade did not need to wait for the score to flash up to know who would be crowned champion and quickly went up to hug Biles.&nbsp;

"It was really cool, knowing that I made her work, right?" Andrade said of Biles. "It's an honour to be able to compete next to her."

The Brazilian earned a second successive silver in the event, having finished behind Biles' teammate Sunisa Lee in Tokyo.&nbsp;

Lee fought back from a disappointing start on the vault to claim the bronze with 56.465 points. Three years ago in Tokyo, Biles withdrew from the event to prioritise her mental health after suffering from the "twisties", a condition involving the temporary loss of spatial awareness that some gymnasts can experience when executing high-difficulty elements.&nbsp;

Her withdrawal caused concern among her vast fan base about whether she would ever set foot on the Olympic stage again.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Biles proved she was no quitter as she captured her second gold medal of the Paris Games, having led the U.S. to the team gold on Tuesday, and her second all-around Olympic title after also winning the individual event in Rio in 2016.&nbsp;

Biles became the first woman to win two all around titles at the Games since Vera Caslavska triumphed in 1964 and 1968. She will be on the hunt for three more golds in Paris as she has also qualified for the vault, floor exercise and balance beam finals.&nbsp;

If anyone needed any confirmation about Simone Biles' standing in gymnastics, the sparkling GOAT necklace she slipped on and ecstatically showed off to a TV camera after she sealed the all around title at the Paris Olympics on Thursday verified her status as the greatest of all-time.

If anyone needed any confirmation about Simone Biles' standing in gymnastics, the sparkling GOAT necklace she slipped on and ecstatically showed off to a TV camera after she sealed the all around title at the Paris Olympics on Thursday verified her status as the greatest of all-time. The world's most decorated gymnast clinched her sixth Olympic gold medal in front of a delirious crowd at Bercy Arena after she left all her challengers in her shade, completing a triumphant comeback three years after withdrawing from the same final at the Tokyo Games. Aged 27, Biles edged past Brazil's Rebeca Andrade by 1.199 points to become the oldest athlete since 1952 to win the most coveted individual title in women's gymnastics. "My GOAT necklace is kind of an ode ... it is crazy that I am in the conversation of greatest of all athletes because I still just think that I'm Simone Biles from Spring, Texas who loves to flip," said the American who owns a jaw-dropping 39 world and Olympic medals. In a tight race with Andrade, Biles was surprisingly left trailing in third place after a flawed performance on the uneven bars during the second rotation. But if Andrade had started to fantasize about becoming the first Brazilian to win the Olympic event which requires female gymnasts to excel on all four apparatus, Biles brought her back to reality just 30 minutes later as she was back on top of the standings following a solid showing on the balance beam. On the uneven bars, Biles got too much air on her flip as she transitioned from the higher to the lower bar and had to bend both knees to avoid touching the ground. Also read: Paris Olympics 2024: Zheng stuns Swiatek as Alcaraz closes in on Djokovic clash She also needed to take an extra swing to continue her routine on the apparatus. After completing her dismount, she looked really annoyed at herself for making the error as she walked off the mat. Awarded 13.733 points, it was the worst score she had earned across all her performances to date in Paris. In fact it was the only time she failed to breach the 14-point barrier. "I don't even know how I held on to that," Biles could be heard saying immediately after the fumble. A mistake that could have proven costly turned out to be a mere blip in Biles' charge towards victory. By the time she stood at the edge of the mat to start her final performance, she knew the gold would be hers provided she avoided any major mishaps during her floor exercise display. ELECTRIFYING ROUTINE Competing last, Biles executed an electrifying routine to secure the gold with a total of 59.131 points. Biles said having Andrade on her tail had made her nervous. "I don't want to compete with Rebecca no more. I'm tired. Rebeca pushes me to be my best, she's a phenomenal athlete," Biles said. "She's way too close. I've never had an athlete that close, so it definitely put me on my toes. "On each event we're very similar in scores. I was like, 'okay, I think I have to bring out the big guns this time'," added the American who opted to execute the more difficult Yurchenko double pike vault knowing that she would be pushed all the way by Andrade. In a sign of great camaraderie, a beaming Andrade applauded Biles as soon as the American had struck the final pose of her floor routine, sitting on the mat with her left hand covering her face. Andrade did not need to wait for the score to flash up to know who would be crowned champion and quickly went up to hug Biles. "It was really cool, knowing that I made her work, right?" Andrade said of Biles. "It's an honour to be able to compete next to her." The Brazilian earned a second successive silver in the event, having finished behind Biles' teammate Sunisa Lee in Tokyo. Lee fought back from a disappointing start on the vault to claim the bronze with 56.465 points. Three years ago in Tokyo, Biles withdrew from the event to prioritise her mental health after suffering from the "twisties", a condition involving the temporary loss of spatial awareness that some gymnasts can experience when executing high-difficulty elements. Her withdrawal caused concern among her vast fan base about whether she would ever set foot on the Olympic stage again. Biles proved she was no quitter as she captured her second gold medal of the Paris Games, having led the U.S. to the team gold on Tuesday, and her second all-around Olympic title after also winning the individual event in Rio in 2016. Biles became the first woman to win two all around titles at the Games since Vera Caslavska triumphed in 1964 and 1968. She will be on the hunt for three more golds in Paris as she has also qualified for the vault, floor exercise and balance beam finals.

Paris Olympics 2024: Simone Biles stands head and shoulders above rivals after clinching gold

Simone Biles led the United States to a dominant victory in the women's gymnastics team final on Tuesday, as she claimed a fifth career Olympic gold medal. Watch in for more details!

Paris Olympics 2024: Simone Biles claims sixth Olympic gold

JD Vance has courted controversy yet again for his old statements after US gymnast Simone Biles won a record eighth Olympics gold in Paris on Tuesday (Jul 31). Vance, the Republican vice president nominee had criticised Biles in 2021, when she pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics citing mental health issues.&nbsp;

In the interview&nbsp;with Fox News dated July 2021, Vance called out the media for supporting Biles and making a hero out of her on quitting the biggest sporting tournament in the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

“It’s understandable that she was going through an incredible amount of pressure,” the Ohio senator said at the time.&nbsp;

“What I find so weird about this – and it reflects on the media more than it does on Simone Biles – is that we’ve tried to turn a very tragic moment, Simone Biles quitting the Olympic team, into this act of heroism,” he added.

Vance, the VP pick by Trump, suggested that instead of praising people for their strength and heroic moments, we are instead celebrating their weakest moments.

“Being an athlete at that level is incredibly tough. A normal response at this moment would be to say, ‘It’s just a shame that she’s going through this. It’s a shame that she quit,’ but instead, what our press has done, I think, is turn this into this weird therapeutic moment. ‘Let’s praise her for doing this.’ And I think that’s really where the problem herein lies,” said Vance.&nbsp;

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<h2>Biles' comeback story&nbsp;</h2>

Notably, Biles had pulled out of the Olympics as she was suffering from a condition known as the "twisties" under which her spatial awareness while performing the death-defying routines up in air took a hit. Gymnasts usually suffer from the condition which creates a high-risk and dangerous situation when they are attempting to stick landings.&nbsp;

Despite the setback, Biles bounced back in style in Paris and secured an eighth gold medal in the women's team event on Tuesday - becoming the most decorated gymnast in the US and fifth-most decorated female Olympic gymnast. She still has four more events on her schedule -- and four more opportunities to add to her medal collection.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jd-vance-defends-childless-cat-ladies-remark-amid-backlash-744618">Also read |&nbsp;JD Vance defends 'childless cat ladies' remark amid backlash</a>

As for Vance, he recently came under heavy scrutiny after another old video surfaced where he could be heard&nbsp;referring to&nbsp;Democratic politicians as a "bunch of childless cat ladies with miserable lives".

Vance’s remark, made in 2021, has been criticised, with Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston among those to have hit out at the Republican.

(With inputs from agencies)

JD Vance has courted controversy yet again for his old statements after US gymnast Simone Biles won a record eighth Olympics gold in Paris on Tuesday (Jul 31). Vance, the Republican vice president nominee had criticised Biles in 2021, when she pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics citing mental health issues.

JD Vance has courted controversy yet again for his old statements after US gymnast Simone Biles won a record eighth Olympics gold in Paris on Tuesday (Jul 31). Vance, the Republican vice president nominee had criticised Biles in 2021, when she pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics citing mental health issues. In the interview with Fox News dated July 2021, Vance called out the media for supporting Biles and making a hero out of her on quitting the biggest sporting tournament in the world. “It’s understandable that she was going through an incredible amount of pressure,” the Ohio senator said at the time. “What I find so weird about this – and it reflects on the media more than it does on Simone Biles – is that we’ve tried to turn a very tragic moment, Simone Biles quitting the Olympic team, into this act of heroism,” he added. Vance, the VP pick by Trump, suggested that instead of praising people for their strength and heroic moments, we are instead celebrating their weakest moments. “Being an athlete at that level is incredibly tough. A normal response at this moment would be to say, ‘It’s just a shame that she’s going through this. It’s a shame that she quit,’ but instead, what our press has done, I think, is turn this into this weird therapeutic moment. ‘Let’s praise her for doing this.’ And I think that’s really where the problem herein lies,” said Vance. Remember when JD Vance called Simone Biles weak when she withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics? Why do these Republican men hate women so much?pic.twitter.com/WRClQiRe7k — Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) July 31, 2024 × Biles' comeback story Notably, Biles had pulled out of the Olympics as she was suffering from a condition known as the "twisties" under which her spatial awareness while performing the death-defying routines up in air took a hit. Gymnasts usually suffer from the condition which creates a high-risk and dangerous situation when they are attempting to stick landings. Despite the setback, Biles bounced back in style in Paris and secured an eighth gold medal in the women's team event on Tuesday - becoming the most decorated gymnast in the US and fifth-most decorated female Olympic gymnast. She still has four more events on her schedule -- and four more opportunities to add to her medal collection. Also read | JD Vance defends 'childless cat ladies' remark amid backlash As for Vance, he recently came under heavy scrutiny after another old video surfaced where he could be heard referring to Democratic politicians as a "bunch of childless cat ladies with miserable lives". Vance’s remark, made in 2021, has been criticised, with Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston among those to have hit out at the Republican. (With inputs from agencies)

JD Vance courts controversy after old clip slating Simone Biles for quitting Olympic surfaces

Simone Biles won the fifth Olympic gold of her legendary career as she led the United States to an emphatic victory in the women's gymnastics team final on Tuesday, as Daniel Wiffen made Irish history in swimming.

On a sweltering day in Paris where temperatures reached 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit), the hottest ticket in town was at the Bercy Arena where Biles was attempting to lay the ghosts of Tokyo 2021 to rest.

The 27-year-old American -- considered the greatest gymnast of all time -- and her team did just that to add to her four gold medals at the 2016 Rio Games.

Three years ago in Tokyo Biles battled a disorientating mental block that gymnasts call the "twisties", and without her the USA had to settle for silver.

But with Biles back to her brilliant best, she and teammates Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Sunisa Lee led wire-to-wire to reclaim gold ahead of Italy, with Brazil taking bronze.

For Biles it marks a return to the Olympic summit after a two-year break as she focused on her mental health. Lee, the all-around champion in Tokyo, has since dealt with two career-threatening kidney ailments.

Biles said her second team gold -- eight years after her first -- felt different.

"It was just like we were a little young and naive," she said of 2016. "So it didn't hit the way that it does now.

"Now that I'm much older, we have so much more experience and we're out here really having fun and enjoying what we're doing."

Once again the stars were out for Biles.&nbsp;

Serena Williams, Nicole Kidman and Bill Gates were in attendance, as was Biles's husband, NFL player Jonathan Owens, in a T-shirt emblazoned with his wife's name and picture.

<h2>Irish history</h2>

Wiffen was in tears on the podium at La Defense Arena after becoming the first Irishman ever to win an Olympic swimming gold.

"I don't normally cry, so I really hope that nobody's gonna see that," he said.

The 23-year-old powered home in the 800m freestyle in 7min 38.19sec, the fifth-fastest time ever, ahead of American defending champion Bobby Finke and Tokyo silver medallist Gregorio Paltrinieri of Italy.

Wiffen, who was born in England and is the world champion, will also contest the 1,500m freestyle and 10km open water swim in Paris.

Kaylee McKeown retained her crown in the women's 100m backstroke, producing a blistering second lap to beat world record-holder Regan Smith of the USA.

It was Australia's fourth gold in the pool in Paris.

Britain triumphed in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay.

In punishing heat at Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal kept alive his dream of a third Olympic gold as he powered into the men's doubles quarter-finals alongside Carlos Alcaraz.

Andy Murray, who has said he will quit tennis after the Games, delayed his retirement with another thrilling doubles win with Dan Evans, saving two match points.

But women's world number two Coco Gauff crashed out of the singles in a stormy defeat to Croatian Donna Vekic.

Vekic won 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals after Gauff claimed she was "getting cheated" in an argument with the chair umpire over a line call.

New Zealand's women defended their Olympic rugby sevens title after roaring back to beat Canada 19-12 in front of a near-capacity 69,000 crowd at the Stade de France.

In men's football, Thierry Henry's France set up a potentially explosive quarter-final showdown with Argentina.

And NBA star Victor Wembanyama scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to help France scrape past Japan 94-90 and into the quarter-finals in the men's basketball.

Japan ended day four top of the overall medals table with seven golds, with China and Australia on six, and France and South Korea on five.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;

<h2>More Seine doubts</h2>

Earlier, in a massive blow to Olympic organisers who have repeatedly vowed that the River Seine would be safe to swim in, Tuesday's men's triathlon race was called off hours before the start after last-minute water-quality tests.

A joint statement from Paris 2024 and World Triathlon blamed the spike in pollution levels on the heavy rain that drenched Paris on Friday and Saturday.&nbsp;

The men's triathlon has been rescheduled to Wednesday, immediately after the women's event, leaving Games chiefs keeping their fingers crossed.

After the intense heat of the day, a major storm was forecast late on, raising fresh doubts over whether Wednesday's rescheduled events could go ahead.

Heavy downpours still overwhelm the city's underground drains and sewage system, leading to untreated effluent being released into the waterway.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Simone Biles won the fifth Olympic gold of her legendary career as she led the United States to an emphatic victory in the women's gymnastics team final on Tuesday, as Daniel Wiffen made Irish history in swimming.

Simone Biles won the fifth Olympic gold of her legendary career as she led the United States to an emphatic victory in the women's gymnastics team final on Tuesday, as Daniel Wiffen made Irish history in swimming. On a sweltering day in Paris where temperatures reached 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit), the hottest ticket in town was at the Bercy Arena where Biles was attempting to lay the ghosts of Tokyo 2021 to rest. The 27-year-old American -- considered the greatest gymnast of all time -- and her team did just that to add to her four gold medals at the 2016 Rio Games. Three years ago in Tokyo Biles battled a disorientating mental block that gymnasts call the "twisties", and without her the USA had to settle for silver. But with Biles back to her brilliant best, she and teammates Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Sunisa Lee led wire-to-wire to reclaim gold ahead of Italy, with Brazil taking bronze. For Biles it marks a return to the Olympic summit after a two-year break as she focused on her mental health. Lee, the all-around champion in Tokyo, has since dealt with two career-threatening kidney ailments. Biles said her second team gold -- eight years after her first -- felt different. "It was just like we were a little young and naive," she said of 2016. "So it didn't hit the way that it does now. "Now that I'm much older, we have so much more experience and we're out here really having fun and enjoying what we're doing." Once again the stars were out for Biles. Serena Williams, Nicole Kidman and Bill Gates were in attendance, as was Biles's husband, NFL player Jonathan Owens, in a T-shirt emblazoned with his wife's name and picture. Irish history Wiffen was in tears on the podium at La Defense Arena after becoming the first Irishman ever to win an Olympic swimming gold. "I don't normally cry, so I really hope that nobody's gonna see that," he said. The 23-year-old powered home in the 800m freestyle in 7min 38.19sec, the fifth-fastest time ever, ahead of American defending champion Bobby Finke and Tokyo silver medallist Gregorio Paltrinieri of Italy. Wiffen, who was born in England and is the world champion, will also contest the 1,500m freestyle and 10km open water swim in Paris. Kaylee McKeown retained her crown in the women's 100m backstroke, producing a blistering second lap to beat world record-holder Regan Smith of the USA. It was Australia's fourth gold in the pool in Paris. Britain triumphed in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay. In punishing heat at Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal kept alive his dream of a third Olympic gold as he powered into the men's doubles quarter-finals alongside Carlos Alcaraz. Andy Murray, who has said he will quit tennis after the Games, delayed his retirement with another thrilling doubles win with Dan Evans, saving two match points. But women's world number two Coco Gauff crashed out of the singles in a stormy defeat to Croatian Donna Vekic. Vekic won 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals after Gauff claimed she was "getting cheated" in an argument with the chair umpire over a line call. New Zealand's women defended their Olympic rugby sevens title after roaring back to beat Canada 19-12 in front of a near-capacity 69,000 crowd at the Stade de France. In men's football, Thierry Henry's France set up a potentially explosive quarter-final showdown with Argentina. And NBA star Victor Wembanyama scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to help France scrape past Japan 94-90 and into the quarter-finals in the men's basketball. Japan ended day four top of the overall medals table with seven golds, with China and Australia on six, and France and South Korea on five. ALSO READ | More Seine doubts Earlier, in a massive blow to Olympic organisers who have repeatedly vowed that the River Seine would be safe to swim in, Tuesday's men's triathlon race was called off hours before the start after last-minute water-quality tests. A joint statement from Paris 2024 and World Triathlon blamed the spike in pollution levels on the heavy rain that drenched Paris on Friday and Saturday. The men's triathlon has been rescheduled to Wednesday, immediately after the women's event, leaving Games chiefs keeping their fingers crossed. After the intense heat of the day, a major storm was forecast late on, raising fresh doubts over whether Wednesday's rescheduled events could go ahead. Heavy downpours still overwhelm the city's underground drains and sewage system, leading to untreated effluent being released into the waterway. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Olympics 2024: Simone Biles inspires USA to Olympic gold as Irish swimmer makes history

If you need some motivation, look no further than the powerful female athletes representing their countries at the Paris Olympics. American star gymnast Simone Biles has showcased incredible resilience by bouncing back from trauma. Meanwhile, Indian shooter Manu Bhaker has paved the way for women athletes in India by making history with her bronze medal win in the women's 10-metre air pistol event in Paris. This achievement marks the first time an Indian woman has won a medal in shooting at the Olympics, making her a trailblazer in the sport for her country.

Simone Biles, Manu Bhaker: The Female Athletes Making History at the Paris Olympics

A radiant Simone Biles made her long-awaited Olympic return at the Paris Games on Sunday, drawing boisterous cheers and applause from an ecstatic, star-studded crowd in a performance that gave U.S. gymnasts the lead in women's qualifying.

After Biles' brilliance the U.S. qualified with ease in first place, far ahead of second-placed Italy while China, Brazil, Japan, Canada, Britain, and Romania all booked their spots in Tuesday's final.

Biles, the world's most decorated gymnast, returned for her third Olympics after she abruptly pulled out from the team final at the Tokyo Games suffering from the "twisties", a term used to describe the temporary loss of spatial awareness while performing high-difficulty elements.

Biles also withdrew from the all-around and a number of apparatus finals in Tokyo, raising questions about whether she would ever set foot in an Olympic arena again.

But after a two-year hiatus and with the help of her teammates and a therapist, she made a glorious return in Paris in front of a crowd at the Bercy Arena that included celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Lady Gaga and Snoop Dogg, reinforcing her status of one of the greatest athletes of all-time.

The 27-year-old Biles showed she was back to earn some more glittering gold medals as she laid down the marker in the all-around competition, topping the qualifying standings with a score of 59.566.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-olympics-2024-indias-day-3-event-schedule-timings-medal-games-athletes-and-all-you-need-to-know-745058">Paris Olympics 2024: India's day 3 event schedule, timings, medal games, athletes and all you need to know</a>

She finished 1.866 points ahead of Brazil's Rebeca Andrade with reigning Olympic champion Sunisa Lee of the U.S. in third.

Biles began on the balance beam, arguably the most difficult apparatus to start on, receiving 14.733 points, scoring just 0.133 less than Zhou Yaqin of China.

Wearing a shimmering leotard featuring thousands of Swarovski crystals, Biles smiled and exhaled as she looked up to the scoreboard, seemingly relieved after completing an impressive performance on the first of four apparatus.

She seemed less pleased, however, with her floor routine, which had a few hiccups but still earned her a score of 14.600, finishing 0.700 ahead of Andrade.

Biles shook off her sullen expression following the floor exercise, landing a stunning 15.800 on her signature double-piked Yurchenko vault, the Biles II.

The gravity-defying vault is so difficult that its start value is several tenths of a point higher than any other vault that will be performed by female gymnasts at the Paris Games.

"I think she just competes by herself," British gymnast Ruby Evans said of Biles. "We've never had anyone like her before and I don't think we ever will, ever again."

On Sunday Biles did not perform the original skill on the uneven bars she had submitted for ratification, but she will have another chance to attempt it during Tuesday's final.

After nailing her dismount, a beaming Biles high-fived her coach Laurent Landi and rushed towards the edge of the mat to wave and blow kisses to the euphoric crowd.

"Simone was outstanding," Chellsie Memmel, the U.S. team's technical lead, told reporters.

"That's how she trains. She comes into the gym and she does her job."

Biles re-aggravated a left calf injury during Sunday's competition and Memmel said it was too soon to say how serious the injury was.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

A radiant Simone Biles made her long-awaited Olympic return at the Paris Games on Sunday, drawing boisterous cheers and applause from an ecstatic, star-studded crowd in a performance that gave U.

A radiant Simone Biles made her long-awaited Olympic return at the Paris Games on Sunday, drawing boisterous cheers and applause from an ecstatic, star-studded crowd in a performance that gave U.S. gymnasts the lead in women's qualifying. After Biles' brilliance the U.S. qualified with ease in first place, far ahead of second-placed Italy while China, Brazil, Japan, Canada, Britain, and Romania all booked their spots in Tuesday's final. Biles, the world's most decorated gymnast, returned for her third Olympics after she abruptly pulled out from the team final at the Tokyo Games suffering from the "twisties", a term used to describe the temporary loss of spatial awareness while performing high-difficulty elements. Biles also withdrew from the all-around and a number of apparatus finals in Tokyo, raising questions about whether she would ever set foot in an Olympic arena again. But after a two-year hiatus and with the help of her teammates and a therapist, she made a glorious return in Paris in front of a crowd at the Bercy Arena that included celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Lady Gaga and Snoop Dogg, reinforcing her status of one of the greatest athletes of all-time. The 27-year-old Biles showed she was back to earn some more glittering gold medals as she laid down the marker in the all-around competition, topping the qualifying standings with a score of 59.566. ALSO READ: Paris Olympics 2024: India's day 3 event schedule, timings, medal games, athletes and all you need to know She finished 1.866 points ahead of Brazil's Rebeca Andrade with reigning Olympic champion Sunisa Lee of the U.S. in third. Biles began on the balance beam, arguably the most difficult apparatus to start on, receiving 14.733 points, scoring just 0.133 less than Zhou Yaqin of China. Wearing a shimmering leotard featuring thousands of Swarovski crystals, Biles smiled and exhaled as she looked up to the scoreboard, seemingly relieved after completing an impressive performance on the first of four apparatus. She seemed less pleased, however, with her floor routine, which had a few hiccups but still earned her a score of 14.600, finishing 0.700 ahead of Andrade. Biles shook off her sullen expression following the floor exercise, landing a stunning 15.800 on her signature double-piked Yurchenko vault, the Biles II. The gravity-defying vault is so difficult that its start value is several tenths of a point higher than any other vault that will be performed by female gymnasts at the Paris Games. "I think she just competes by herself," British gymnast Ruby Evans said of Biles. "We've never had anyone like her before and I don't think we ever will, ever again." On Sunday Biles did not perform the original skill on the uneven bars she had submitted for ratification, but she will have another chance to attempt it during Tuesday's final. After nailing her dismount, a beaming Biles high-fived her coach Laurent Landi and rushed towards the edge of the mat to wave and blow kisses to the euphoric crowd. "Simone was outstanding," Chellsie Memmel, the U.S. team's technical lead, told reporters. "That's how she trains. She comes into the gym and she does her job." Biles re-aggravated a left calf injury during Sunday's competition and Memmel said it was too soon to say how serious the injury was. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Gymnast queen Simone Biles makes long-awaited Olympic return in Paris

The US women's gymnastics team on Sunday (Jul 28) entered the team final as the favourites for gold at the 2024 Paris Games, with Simone Biles making a stunning comeback. The 27-year-old was joined on the team by reigning Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera.

Rivera, 16, is the 2023 US junior champion.&nbsp;

Tom Cruise, Lady Gaga, John Legend and Ariana Grande were among the celebrities in attendance at Bercy Arena to witness the return of Biles, who powered through left calf pain to begin her multiple-medal bid in Paris.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-games-2024-priority-is-health-triathlon-swimming-training-session-cancelled-at-olympics-read-why-745019">Paris Games 2024: 'Priority is health..,' Triathlon swimming training session cancelled at Olympics | Read Why</a>&nbsp;

Biles, a four-time Olympic gold medallist competing in her third Games, appeared to be bothered by the pain but she was all smiles at the end of the first day of competition at the Paris Games.&nbsp;

Biles was seen limping at times during the qualifying competition. She also looked in pain while&nbsp;walking&nbsp;after she had powered the US to the top of the team standings, but US coach Cecile Landi was optimistic for Biles and told reporters: "Just a little pain in her calf."&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-olympics-2024-we-cant-fight-destiny-says-manu-bhaker-on-overcoming-tokyo-upset-after-winning-bronze-745015">Paris Olympics 2024: 'We can't fight destiny,' says Manu Bhaker on overcoming Tokyo upset after winning bronze</a>

Landi said there was never any doubt that Biles would not continue. The coach had previously said that the US superstar aggravated a minor injury which she'd been dealing with for a couple of weeks.&nbsp;

The pain didn't stop her from soaring through her signature Yurchenko double pike vault, which is now known as the Biles II. She even did it with a big step back on landing and&nbsp;earned a 9.4 for execution for a total of 15.800 points.&nbsp;

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Simone Biles en los Juegos Olímpicos de París. Impresionante. <a href="https://t.co/RZ8YzVEfe0">pic.twitter.com/RZ8YzVEfe0</a>
— Fonsi Loaiza (@FonsiLoaiza) <a href="https://twitter.com/FonsiLoaiza/status/1817517408929595892?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
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ariana grande and cynthia erivo cheering on simone biles is so cute <a href="https://t.co/htXcvu1SiQ">pic.twitter.com/htXcvu1SiQ</a>
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Lo de SIMONE BILES es de OTRO PLANETA 
 
Es la AMA!! 
 
5 elementos llevan su nombre. Nunca una mujer había hecho este salto hasta que llegó ella. 
Superación y Resiliencia 
 
No puedo dejar de ver sus saltos!! 
 
Qué BRUTALIDAD 💜 <a href="https://twitter.com/Simone_Biles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Simone_Biles</a> 
 
Historia y LEYENDA!!! <a href="https://t.co/9EPZ1VnpyH">pic.twitter.com/9EPZ1VnpyH</a>
— Alba Adá-Lameiras (@AlbaAda) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlbaAda/status/1817514287176220816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
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I can’t wait for this Netflix documentary series to continue because y’all really called Simone Biles a quitter. <a href="https://t.co/z0H2WwVFMq">pic.twitter.com/z0H2WwVFMq</a>
— Grace (@gracesporttakes) <a href="https://twitter.com/gracesporttakes/status/1817522505789100254?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The US star left the competition area after performing on her first apparatus, the balance beam, however, she returned to complete her routines on the floor exercise, vault and uneven bars. In the last three apparatus, she had her left leg and ankle tightly strapped.&nbsp;

At the end of their session, the USA were assured of a team finals berth with a score of 172.296 points.

The US star earned global recognition when won four gold medals in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, but her gold dreams were shattered at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics when she withdrew from multiple events as she battled the disorientating mental block that gymnasts call "twisties". She was lauded for speaking about mental health struggles. She had won a silver and bronze at the Tokyo Games.&nbsp;

Now the USA team will fight to regain gold after settling for silver in Japan in 2021.&nbsp;

The women's team final follows on Tuesday (Jul 30) at 12:15 pm ET.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The US women's gymnastics team on Sunday (Jul 28) entered the team final as the favourites for gold at the 2024 Paris Games, with Simone Biles making a stunning comeback.

The US women's gymnastics team on Sunday (Jul 28) entered the team final as the favourites for gold at the 2024 Paris Games, with Simone Biles making a stunning comeback. The 27-year-old was joined on the team by reigning Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera. Rivera, 16, is the 2023 US junior champion. Tom Cruise, Lady Gaga, John Legend and Ariana Grande were among the celebrities in attendance at Bercy Arena to witness the return of Biles, who powered through left calf pain to begin her multiple-medal bid in Paris. Also read: Paris Games 2024: 'Priority is health..,' Triathlon swimming training session cancelled at Olympics | Read Why Biles, a four-time Olympic gold medallist competing in her third Games, appeared to be bothered by the pain but she was all smiles at the end of the first day of competition at the Paris Games. Biles was seen limping at times during the qualifying competition. She also looked in pain while walking after she had powered the US to the top of the team standings, but US coach Cecile Landi was optimistic for Biles and told reporters: "Just a little pain in her calf." Also read: Paris Olympics 2024: 'We can't fight destiny,' says Manu Bhaker on overcoming Tokyo upset after winning bronze Landi said there was never any doubt that Biles would not continue. The coach had previously said that the US superstar aggravated a minor injury which she'd been dealing with for a couple of weeks. The pain didn't stop her from soaring through her signature Yurchenko double pike vault, which is now known as the Biles II. She even did it with a big step back on landing and earned a 9.4 for execution for a total of 15.800 points. Simone Biles en los Juegos Olímpicos de París. Impresionante. pic.twitter.com/RZ8YzVEfe0 — Fonsi Loaiza (@FonsiLoaiza) July 28, 2024 × ariana grande and cynthia erivo cheering on simone biles is so cute pic.twitter.com/htXcvu1SiQ — mara 🖤 (@girlb3hindaura) July 28, 2024 × Lo de SIMONE BILES es de OTRO PLANETA Es la AMA!! 5 elementos llevan su nombre. Nunca una mujer había hecho este salto hasta que llegó ella. Superación y Resiliencia No puedo dejar de ver sus saltos!! Qué BRUTALIDAD 💜 @Simone_Biles Historia y LEYENDA!!! pic.twitter.com/9EPZ1VnpyH — Alba Adá-Lameiras (@AlbaAda) July 28, 2024 × I can’t wait for this Netflix documentary series to continue because y’all really called Simone Biles a quitter. pic.twitter.com/z0H2WwVFMq — Grace (@gracesporttakes) July 28, 2024 × The US star left the competition area after performing on her first apparatus, the balance beam, however, she returned to complete her routines on the floor exercise, vault and uneven bars. In the last three apparatus, she had her left leg and ankle tightly strapped. At the end of their session, the USA were assured of a team finals berth with a score of 172.296 points. The US star earned global recognition when won four gold medals in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, but her gold dreams were shattered at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics when she withdrew from multiple events as she battled the disorientating mental block that gymnasts call "twisties". She was lauded for speaking about mental health struggles. She had won a silver and bronze at the Tokyo Games. Now the USA team will fight to regain gold after settling for silver in Japan in 2021. The women's team final follows on Tuesday (Jul 30) at 12:15 pm ET. (With inputs from agencies)

Olympics 2024: Star USA gymnast Simone Biles fights through calf pain, makes stunning comeback in Paris

Four-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles is headed to the Paris Games with a resounding all-around victory at the US gymnastics trials on Sunday.

Biles capped her trials with another electrifying floor routine, her high-flying tumbling bringing the crowd to its feet.

She piled up 117.225 over two days of competition to earn an automatic berth on the five-strong team for Paris.

Three years after a bout of the disorienting "twisties" cut short Biles's Tokyo Games campaign, the gymnast considered the best of all time will return to the Olympic stage looking stronger than ever.

"I knew I wasn't done after the performances in Tokyo," Biles said. "I knew I'd be back."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wimbledon-2024-andy-murray-unsure-of-singles-participation-to-take-a-final-call-on-monday-736615">Wimbledon 2024: Andy Murray unsure of singles participation, to take a final call on Monday</a>

Since returning to competition last August, she has captured world championships all-around gold and three weeks ago she grabbed her ninth national all-around title.

Biles launched her night with a soaring version of her Yurchenko double pike vault, and even though she skittered backwards a few steps on landing she scored 15.50 points for a vault so difficult that no other woman has attempted it in competition.

After a sub-par balance beam performance on day one left her clearly furious, Biles was rolling through an impressive routine when she lost her balance and fell off the beam -- still scoring an impressive 13.900.

Suni Lee, the Tokyo Olympics all-around gold medalist who is back as she manages not just one but two career-threatening kidney diseases, finished second overall with 111.675 points and was named to the team -- which in fact turned out to be the top-five all-around finishers.

Also Paris-bound are Jordan Chiles, part of the silver medal-winning US team in Tokyo who was third, Tokyo floor gold medallist Jade Carey who was fourth and 16-year-old Hezly Rivera -- who was buoyed by a strong showing on balance beam and capped her night with a solid vault.

It was a triumphant and emotional night for Lee in front of ecstatic fans in her home state of Minnesota.

"I was reminded of my goals every day and constantly surrounded by people who never let me give up," Lee said, breaking down in tears as she recalled that a year ago she didn't think a return to the Games would be possible."

Chiles said she was doing it for "the two I lost last year, my grandpa and my aunt.

"They always believed in me and that's what made me continue to push my dream, push to another olympics which is crazy to say," she said.

All eyes in Paris, however, will be on Biles, who heads to France an overwhelming favorite to add to the four golds she won in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

"I love these girls, and I'm going to take care of them in Paris," Biles said.

Four-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles is headed to the Paris Games with a resounding all-around victory at the US gymnastics trials on Sunday. Biles capped her trials with another electrifying floor routine, her high-flying tumbling bringing the crowd to its feet.

Four-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles is headed to the Paris Games with a resounding all-around victory at the US gymnastics trials on Sunday. Biles capped her trials with another electrifying floor routine, her high-flying tumbling bringing the crowd to its feet. She piled up 117.225 over two days of competition to earn an automatic berth on the five-strong team for Paris. Three years after a bout of the disorienting "twisties" cut short Biles's Tokyo Games campaign, the gymnast considered the best of all time will return to the Olympic stage looking stronger than ever. "I knew I wasn't done after the performances in Tokyo," Biles said. "I knew I'd be back." ALSO READ: Wimbledon 2024: Andy Murray unsure of singles participation, to take a final call on Monday Since returning to competition last August, she has captured world championships all-around gold and three weeks ago she grabbed her ninth national all-around title. Biles launched her night with a soaring version of her Yurchenko double pike vault, and even though she skittered backwards a few steps on landing she scored 15.50 points for a vault so difficult that no other woman has attempted it in competition. After a sub-par balance beam performance on day one left her clearly furious, Biles was rolling through an impressive routine when she lost her balance and fell off the beam -- still scoring an impressive 13.900. Suni Lee, the Tokyo Olympics all-around gold medalist who is back as she manages not just one but two career-threatening kidney diseases, finished second overall with 111.675 points and was named to the team -- which in fact turned out to be the top-five all-around finishers. Also Paris-bound are Jordan Chiles, part of the silver medal-winning US team in Tokyo who was third, Tokyo floor gold medallist Jade Carey who was fourth and 16-year-old Hezly Rivera -- who was buoyed by a strong showing on balance beam and capped her night with a solid vault. It was a triumphant and emotional night for Lee in front of ecstatic fans in her home state of Minnesota. "I was reminded of my goals every day and constantly surrounded by people who never let me give up," Lee said, breaking down in tears as she recalled that a year ago she didn't think a return to the Games would be possible." Chiles said she was doing it for "the two I lost last year, my grandpa and my aunt. "They always believed in me and that's what made me continue to push my dream, push to another olympics which is crazy to say," she said. All eyes in Paris, however, will be on Biles, who heads to France an overwhelming favorite to add to the four golds she won in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. "I love these girls, and I'm going to take care of them in Paris," Biles said.

Gymnastics: Gold medal favourite Simone Biles qualifies for Paris Olympics

Simone Biles continued her march toward the Paris Olympics on Friday with a dynamic day one at the US gymnastics trials that featured brilliance and a little reminder that she's human, too.

The four-time Olympic gold medallist thrilled the Target Center crowd with her signature Yurchenko double pike vault, now also known as the Biles II.

She earned 15.975 points for the vault which no other woman has attempted in competition.

Biles topped the all-around standings after the first night of competition on 58.900 points, with the all-around winner after day two on Sunday guaranteed a trip to Paris, where gymnastics competition begins in just under a month.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-2024-argentinas-lionel-messi-to-miss-peru-game-team-officials-confirm-736162">Copa America 2024: Argentina's Lionel Messi to miss Peru game, team officials confirm</a>

The other four spots on the team will be decided by a selection committee, based on results at trials and in prior events with an eye toward maximizing the squad's scoring potential in Paris.

Jordan Chiles, part of the US silver medal-winning team in Tokyo, was second with 56.400 points.

Tokyo all-around champion Suni Lee, eying a return trip to the Games after battling back from kidney disease, was in third on 56.025 points after a night when injuries to two Olympic contenders ratcheted up the stress for everyone.

Biles's coach, Laurent Landi, said the injuries to Shilese Jones and Kayla DiCello at the start of the night affected everyone, Biles included.

"It's always hard to see one of your teammates really getting hurt," he said. "You need to be in your own bubble. We just told them to calm down and just to think about themselves, one event at a time, one skill at a time."

Biles's 37 world championship and Olympic medals make her the most decorated gymnast of all time. That haul includes a dazzling four gold from the 2016 Rio Olympics.

But three years ago, her Tokyo Games campaign came to an abrupt halt as she pulled out of a string of events as she battled the temporary mental block gymnasts call "the twisties," which causes them to lose their sense of where they are in the air.

Once unsure if she would bid for a third Olympic team, Biles has only gained strength since her return to competition in August, capturing all-around gold at the World Championships last year and grabbing her ninth national all-around title earlier this month.

Biles enchanted the Target Center crowd with a floor routine that featured a breathtaking triple-twisting double somersault on her first tumbling pass.

She had launched her night with a rock-solid parallel bars performance that garnered 14.425 points.

But Biles was clearly unhappy with a shaky balance beam routine.

She had to fight to hang on as she mounted the beam and had another wobble on a spin.

Her score of 13.650 was well below the 14.800 she put up twice at the US championships and, after a big step back on her dismount, Biles departed the podium looking furious.

Simone Biles continued her march toward the Paris Olympics on Friday with a dynamic day one at the US gymnastics trials that featured brilliance and a little reminder that she's human, too.

Simone Biles continued her march toward the Paris Olympics on Friday with a dynamic day one at the US gymnastics trials that featured brilliance and a little reminder that she's human, too. The four-time Olympic gold medallist thrilled the Target Center crowd with her signature Yurchenko double pike vault, now also known as the Biles II. She earned 15.975 points for the vault which no other woman has attempted in competition. Biles topped the all-around standings after the first night of competition on 58.900 points, with the all-around winner after day two on Sunday guaranteed a trip to Paris, where gymnastics competition begins in just under a month. ALSO READ: Copa America 2024: Argentina's Lionel Messi to miss Peru game, team officials confirm The other four spots on the team will be decided by a selection committee, based on results at trials and in prior events with an eye toward maximizing the squad's scoring potential in Paris. Jordan Chiles, part of the US silver medal-winning team in Tokyo, was second with 56.400 points. Tokyo all-around champion Suni Lee, eying a return trip to the Games after battling back from kidney disease, was in third on 56.025 points after a night when injuries to two Olympic contenders ratcheted up the stress for everyone. Biles's coach, Laurent Landi, said the injuries to Shilese Jones and Kayla DiCello at the start of the night affected everyone, Biles included. "It's always hard to see one of your teammates really getting hurt," he said. "You need to be in your own bubble. We just told them to calm down and just to think about themselves, one event at a time, one skill at a time." Biles's 37 world championship and Olympic medals make her the most decorated gymnast of all time. That haul includes a dazzling four gold from the 2016 Rio Olympics. But three years ago, her Tokyo Games campaign came to an abrupt halt as she pulled out of a string of events as she battled the temporary mental block gymnasts call "the twisties," which causes them to lose their sense of where they are in the air. Once unsure if she would bid for a third Olympic team, Biles has only gained strength since her return to competition in August, capturing all-around gold at the World Championships last year and grabbing her ninth national all-around title earlier this month. Biles enchanted the Target Center crowd with a floor routine that featured a breathtaking triple-twisting double somersault on her first tumbling pass. She had launched her night with a rock-solid parallel bars performance that garnered 14.425 points. But Biles was clearly unhappy with a shaky balance beam routine. She had to fight to hang on as she mounted the beam and had another wobble on a spin. Her score of 13.650 was well below the 14.800 she put up twice at the US championships and, after a big step back on her dismount, Biles departed the podium looking furious.

Super woman Simone Biles readies for Paris Games as injuries headline US Olympic gymnastics trials

Taking time off work for mental health or for one's wellbeing is often frowned upon. It comes with questions about one's competency, ability to tolerate stress. The story of American gymnast is one of the many examples of why taking time off is often important in order to achieve the next big career goal.

Gravitas: Simone Biles & the importance of taking times off

Simone Biles won a record-extending ninth US all-around gymnastics title Sunday, signalling she's a force in the sport as the Paris Olympics approach even as a couple of miscues gave her something to work on before the US trials.

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Simone Biles is off and running on the final night. 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/XfinityChamps?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#XfinityChamps</a> | 📺 NBC &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/peacock?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@peacock</a> <a href="https://t.co/97VpAX4FhQ">pic.twitter.com/97VpAX4FhQ</a>
— NBC Olympics &amp; Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCOlympics/status/1797404915423224067?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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"Today it's just getting out here, getting comfortable and confident in my gymnastics, and hopefully going to Olympic trials and making that next step towards Paris," Biles told broadcaster NBC after piling up 59.300 points on the second night of competition to take her total to 119.750.

She was almost six points clear of runner-up Skye Blakely, who totalled 113.850 with Kayla DiCello taking bronze with 110.800.

The top two finishers were assured of berths at the Olympic trials June 27-30 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where at least a dozen athletes are expected to make their final case for a trip to Paris.

Biles had cracked 60 points on the first night of competition on Friday, and while she couldn't match that, she earned gold on all four apparatus.

"I couldn't be more proud of how I'm doing this time in the year, and just gaining that confidence over and over, getting myself back in front of a crowd and just doing what I do in practice," Biles said.

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The sheer power that has helped Biles grab four Olympic gold medals and build an array of daunting signature skills was in evidence in her few errors.

She stepped out of bounds after her triple-twisting double somersault in floor exercise and skittered backwards onto her back on the landing of her Yurchenko double pike vault.

The vault is so difficult that she still scored 15.00 points -- down from the 15.800 she earned on Friday.

Biles said she has no trouble taking that kind of mistake in stride.

"It's not my first time out there," she said. "I'm a little bit older, so I know exactly how to kind of reboot and re-collect myself to move on to the next event, even if I feel like something wasn't how I wanted it to go."

Among those who will be trying to punch their tickets to Paris later this month, Blakely displayed impressive consistency over two days and Suni Lee, the Tokyo Olympic all-around champion, was an impressive fourth place as she continues her return from career-threatening kidney disease.

Shortly after competition ended, USA Gymnastics confirmed it had accepted petitions from Shilese Jones and Kaliya Lincoln to compete at trials, despite injuries this week.

Jones withdrew with a shoulder injury while Lincoln pulled out after two apparatus on Friday with an ankle injury.

Simone Biles won a record-extending ninth US all-around gymnastics title Sunday, signalling she's a force in the sport as the Paris Olympics approach even as a couple of miscues gave her something to work on before the US trials.

Simone Biles won a record-extending ninth US all-around gymnastics title Sunday, signalling she's a force in the sport as the Paris Olympics approach even as a couple of miscues gave her something to work on before the US trials. Simone Biles is off and running on the final night. 👏#XfinityChamps | 📺 NBC & @peacock pic.twitter.com/97VpAX4FhQ — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) June 2, 2024 × "Today it's just getting out here, getting comfortable and confident in my gymnastics, and hopefully going to Olympic trials and making that next step towards Paris," Biles told broadcaster NBC after piling up 59.300 points on the second night of competition to take her total to 119.750. She was almost six points clear of runner-up Skye Blakely, who totalled 113.850 with Kayla DiCello taking bronze with 110.800. The top two finishers were assured of berths at the Olympic trials June 27-30 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where at least a dozen athletes are expected to make their final case for a trip to Paris. Biles had cracked 60 points on the first night of competition on Friday, and while she couldn't match that, she earned gold on all four apparatus. "I couldn't be more proud of how I'm doing this time in the year, and just gaining that confidence over and over, getting myself back in front of a crowd and just doing what I do in practice," Biles said. ALSO READ: 'Special One' Jose Mourinho joins Fenerbahce as new manager, gets grand welcome in Istanbul The sheer power that has helped Biles grab four Olympic gold medals and build an array of daunting signature skills was in evidence in her few errors. She stepped out of bounds after her triple-twisting double somersault in floor exercise and skittered backwards onto her back on the landing of her Yurchenko double pike vault. The vault is so difficult that she still scored 15.00 points -- down from the 15.800 she earned on Friday. Biles said she has no trouble taking that kind of mistake in stride. "It's not my first time out there," she said. "I'm a little bit older, so I know exactly how to kind of reboot and re-collect myself to move on to the next event, even if I feel like something wasn't how I wanted it to go." Among those who will be trying to punch their tickets to Paris later this month, Blakely displayed impressive consistency over two days and Suni Lee, the Tokyo Olympic all-around champion, was an impressive fourth place as she continues her return from career-threatening kidney disease. Shortly after competition ended, USA Gymnastics confirmed it had accepted petitions from Shilese Jones and Kaliya Lincoln to compete at trials, despite injuries this week. Jones withdrew with a shoulder injury while Lincoln pulled out after two apparatus on Friday with an ankle injury.

U.S. Championships: Gymnast queen Simone Biles wins record-extending ninth title

Simone Biles continued her march toward the Paris Olympics Friday, launching her US gymnastics championships campaign with a dominant day-one that included signature vault and floor skills.

The four-time Olympic gold medallist launched her night in Fort Worth, Texas, with a scintillating performance of her Yurchenko double pike vault.

She soared through her trademark vault, now also known as the Biles II, and despite a big step back with one foot on landing she earned 15.800 for the vault so difficult no other woman has attempted it in competition.

Biles capped her night with an impressive floor routine that included a triple-twisting double somersault on her first tumbling pass on the way to a score of 15.20.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/pro-palestine-protester-detained-in-glasgow-before-scotland-israel-womens-euro-2025-qualifier-727664">Pro-Palestine protester detained in Glasgow before Scotland-Israel Women's Euro 2025 qualifier</a>

On all four apparatus she improved on her scores from the Core Hydration Classic two weeks ago and built a leading all-around score of 60.450 going into Sunday's final night of competition.

Skye Blakely was in second place on 57.050. Blakely was the only other gymnast to hit 15 points, scoring 15.0 on her vault.

Kayla DiCello was in third on 56.850 points.

Biles is chasing a ninth US all-around title, but this year the championships take on added significance as the last meeting at which to secure a berth at the US Olympic trials June 27-30 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Shilese Jones, a two-time world championships all-around medallist, withdrew from the championships on Friday after an old shoulder injury flared up, but said she would petition USA Gymnastics to compete at trials and have a shot to make the five-woman team for Paris.

In the meantime, all eyes are on Biles.

"Well, she broke 60, so that was a goal of hers," said coach Cecile Landi, who said she was pleased not just with Biles's routines but with her attitude. "It's not even the skills, it's the attitude and her behavior," said Landi, who coaches alongside husband Laurent Landi. "I truly feel like she's happy to be here.

"I think she's really enjoying it and appreciating every meet she gets to do."

Reigning Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee was in fourth place on 55.750. Lee, who is battling back from kidney disease, is competing in her first all-around competition in more than a year.

Women's competition concludes on Sunday. The men's champion will be decided on Saturday.

Brody Malone, who won world championships high bar gold in 2022, led after the opening day with a score of 85.950 as he continues his comeback from a devastating right knee injury.

Simone Biles continued her march toward the Paris Olympics Friday, launching her US gymnastics championships campaign with a dominant day-one that included signature vault and floor skills.

Simone Biles continued her march toward the Paris Olympics Friday, launching her US gymnastics championships campaign with a dominant day-one that included signature vault and floor skills. The four-time Olympic gold medallist launched her night in Fort Worth, Texas, with a scintillating performance of her Yurchenko double pike vault. She soared through her trademark vault, now also known as the Biles II, and despite a big step back with one foot on landing she earned 15.800 for the vault so difficult no other woman has attempted it in competition. Biles capped her night with an impressive floor routine that included a triple-twisting double somersault on her first tumbling pass on the way to a score of 15.20. ALSO READ: Pro-Palestine protester detained in Glasgow before Scotland-Israel Women's Euro 2025 qualifier On all four apparatus she improved on her scores from the Core Hydration Classic two weeks ago and built a leading all-around score of 60.450 going into Sunday's final night of competition. Skye Blakely was in second place on 57.050. Blakely was the only other gymnast to hit 15 points, scoring 15.0 on her vault. Kayla DiCello was in third on 56.850 points. Biles is chasing a ninth US all-around title, but this year the championships take on added significance as the last meeting at which to secure a berth at the US Olympic trials June 27-30 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Shilese Jones, a two-time world championships all-around medallist, withdrew from the championships on Friday after an old shoulder injury flared up, but said she would petition USA Gymnastics to compete at trials and have a shot to make the five-woman team for Paris. In the meantime, all eyes are on Biles. "Well, she broke 60, so that was a goal of hers," said coach Cecile Landi, who said she was pleased not just with Biles's routines but with her attitude. "It's not even the skills, it's the attitude and her behavior," said Landi, who coaches alongside husband Laurent Landi. "I truly feel like she's happy to be here. "I think she's really enjoying it and appreciating every meet she gets to do." Reigning Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee was in fourth place on 55.750. Lee, who is battling back from kidney disease, is competing in her first all-around competition in more than a year. Women's competition concludes on Sunday. The men's champion will be decided on Saturday. Brody Malone, who won world championships high bar gold in 2022, led after the opening day with a score of 85.950 as he continues his comeback from a devastating right knee injury.

Simone Biles readies for Paris Games with dominant day one outing at US Gymnastics Championships

Pop icon Taylor Swift and Olympic champion gymnast Simone Biles brought star-power to the stands at Sunday's Packers-Chiefs clash in snowy Green Bay, where they turned out to cheer their significant others. Swift's blossoming romance with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has brought the NFL a whole new wave of fans as her hundreds of millions of social media followers checked out her new squeeze.

The "Cruel Summer" singer's appearance at two Chiefs games earlier this season saw television ratings spike and sales of Kelce's jersey soar 400 percent. Social media trends saw Swift fans poring over Kelce's old tweets in delight as the NFL leaned in to what it called a "pop cultural moment."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/serie-a-inter-milan-send-warning-across-league-with-win-over-napoli-665891">Serie A: Inter Milan send warning across league with win over Napoli</a>

Swift attended her first game in Kansas City in September, and was on hand when the Chiefs played the New York Jets in New Jersey in October. She then headed out for the South American leg of her Eras tour, and is now taking another break before taking the tour to Asia in February.

Biles, a four-time Olympic gold medallist who is targeting more gold at the 2024 Paris Games after a two-year hiatus from gymnastics, is married to Packers safety Jonathan Owens. Owens was traded from the Houston Texans to the Packers after he and Biles wed in April, and Biles has endeared herself to fans in her new city with her support of the team on social media.

On Sunday afternoon she posted a photo on X, formerly Twitter, that showed her and Owens embracing in a snowy backyard with the caption "Packer wonderland." Biles, clad in a Packers parka, was seen exchanging a pre-game kiss with Owens on the sideline shortly before kickoff.

Pop icon Taylor Swift and Olympic champion gymnast Simone Biles brought star-power to the stands at Sunday's Packers-Chiefs clash in snowy Green Bay, where they turned out to cheer their significant others.

Pop icon Taylor Swift and Olympic champion gymnast Simone Biles brought star-power to the stands at Sunday's Packers-Chiefs clash in snowy Green Bay, where they turned out to cheer their significant others. Swift's blossoming romance with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has brought the NFL a whole new wave of fans as her hundreds of millions of social media followers checked out her new squeeze. The "Cruel Summer" singer's appearance at two Chiefs games earlier this season saw television ratings spike and sales of Kelce's jersey soar 400 percent. Social media trends saw Swift fans poring over Kelce's old tweets in delight as the NFL leaned in to what it called a "pop cultural moment." Also Read: Serie A: Inter Milan send warning across league with win over Napoli Swift attended her first game in Kansas City in September, and was on hand when the Chiefs played the New York Jets in New Jersey in October. She then headed out for the South American leg of her Eras tour, and is now taking another break before taking the tour to Asia in February. Biles, a four-time Olympic gold medallist who is targeting more gold at the 2024 Paris Games after a two-year hiatus from gymnastics, is married to Packers safety Jonathan Owens. Owens was traded from the Houston Texans to the Packers after he and Biles wed in April, and Biles has endeared herself to fans in her new city with her support of the team on social media. On Sunday afternoon she posted a photo on X, formerly Twitter, that showed her and Owens embracing in a snowy backyard with the caption "Packer wonderland." Biles, clad in a Packers parka, was seen exchanging a pre-game kiss with Owens on the sideline shortly before kickoff.

Taylor Swift, Simone Biles bring star-power to stand during Packers vs Chiefs

Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles capped her impressive comeback after a two-year break with gold medals on the floor and balance beam on Sunday taking her to 23 world titles, less than 10 months before the Paris Olympics. Biles also won all-around and team gold with the United States in Antwerp where she won her first world titles a decade ago.

The 26-year-old leaves the Flemish port city with five medals -- four gold and a silver -- to bring her tally to 30 medals at world championships.

"I feel like I've no words really," said Biles of her week in Antwerp. "I was just excited, out here competing, having that pressure again. The crowd, the energy, being out there.

"The whole entire experience that we've had at this world championships, I think we learned a lot from it, moving forward."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/iga-swiatek-beats-unseeded-liudmila-samsonova-6-2-6-2-to-win-china-open-2023-644293">Iga Swiatek beats unseeded Liudmila Samsonova in straight sets to win China Open 2023</a>

In a high-level beam final, Biles landed every skill with near perfection, with the title decided by a tiny margin, as Zhou Yaqin also impressed.

Gold only escaped the Chinese teenager because she took a step back after her dismount and was penalised a tenth of a point.

Biles scored 14.800, with 17-year-old Zhou just 0.100 behind. Brazilian Rebeca Andrade, who had beaten Biles the day before in the vault final, took bronze.

Barely an hour and a half later, the four-time Olympic champion was back on the competition stage for the floor final.

Despite going out of the area, the American wowed with her jumps, winning with a score of 14.633.

Andrade, whose duel with Biles lit up the competition, once again delivered a charismatic performance at the Sportpaleis to take silver (14.500), ahead of her compatriot Flavia Saraiva (13.966).

Andrade, the revelation of the Tokyo Olympics, also won five medals, including one gold, in Antwerp.

"We had Rebeca on every single podium," said Biles. "So, I feel like we give each other the best push that we can to bring out the best."

<h2>- 'Live in the now' –</h2>

Biles had to settle for silver on the vault due to a fall on the landing on Saturday, and her worst finish was a fifth place on the uneven bars, her least favourite apparatus.

But her return has been impressive two years after the "twisties", a temporary mental block whereby gymnasts lose the sense of where they are in the air, badly affected her Tokyo Olympics.

She withdrew from four of five individual finals in Japan, taking team silver despite withdrawing midway through the competition and beam bronze.

Biles then stopped training completely and only returned to competition last August in the United States, in a bid to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"I was a little bit worried, but I know that I've been trained properly and that whatever happens happens, so I wasn't too worried about medal count or medal colour," she said. &nbsp;"I can't answer any questions for the future, I'm just going to live in the now."

In Sunday's other finals, German Lukas Dauser, Olympic and 2022 world silver medallist, won his first world title on parallel bars.

Britain's Jake Jarman dominated the vault final and the high bar title went to Daiki Hashimoto, all-around king earlier in the week and team gold medallist with Japan.

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Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles capped her impressive comeback after a two-year break with gold medals on the floor and balance beam on Sunday taking her to 23 world titles, less than 10 months before the Paris Olympics.

Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles capped her impressive comeback after a two-year break with gold medals on the floor and balance beam on Sunday taking her to 23 world titles, less than 10 months before the Paris Olympics. Biles also won all-around and team gold with the United States in Antwerp where she won her first world titles a decade ago. The 26-year-old leaves the Flemish port city with five medals -- four gold and a silver -- to bring her tally to 30 medals at world championships. "I feel like I've no words really," said Biles of her week in Antwerp. "I was just excited, out here competing, having that pressure again. The crowd, the energy, being out there. "The whole entire experience that we've had at this world championships, I think we learned a lot from it, moving forward." ALSO READ: Iga Swiatek beats unseeded Liudmila Samsonova in straight sets to win China Open 2023 In a high-level beam final, Biles landed every skill with near perfection, with the title decided by a tiny margin, as Zhou Yaqin also impressed. Gold only escaped the Chinese teenager because she took a step back after her dismount and was penalised a tenth of a point. Biles scored 14.800, with 17-year-old Zhou just 0.100 behind. Brazilian Rebeca Andrade, who had beaten Biles the day before in the vault final, took bronze. Barely an hour and a half later, the four-time Olympic champion was back on the competition stage for the floor final. Despite going out of the area, the American wowed with her jumps, winning with a score of 14.633. Andrade, whose duel with Biles lit up the competition, once again delivered a charismatic performance at the Sportpaleis to take silver (14.500), ahead of her compatriot Flavia Saraiva (13.966). Andrade, the revelation of the Tokyo Olympics, also won five medals, including one gold, in Antwerp. "We had Rebeca on every single podium," said Biles. "So, I feel like we give each other the best push that we can to bring out the best." - 'Live in the now' – Biles had to settle for silver on the vault due to a fall on the landing on Saturday, and her worst finish was a fifth place on the uneven bars, her least favourite apparatus. But her return has been impressive two years after the "twisties", a temporary mental block whereby gymnasts lose the sense of where they are in the air, badly affected her Tokyo Olympics. She withdrew from four of five individual finals in Japan, taking team silver despite withdrawing midway through the competition and beam bronze. Biles then stopped training completely and only returned to competition last August in the United States, in a bid to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics. "I was a little bit worried, but I know that I've been trained properly and that whatever happens happens, so I wasn't too worried about medal count or medal colour," she said. "I can't answer any questions for the future, I'm just going to live in the now." In Sunday's other finals, German Lukas Dauser, Olympic and 2022 world silver medallist, won his first world title on parallel bars. Britain's Jake Jarman dominated the vault final and the high bar title went to Daiki Hashimoto, all-around king earlier in the week and team gold medallist with Japan. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

World Championships 2023: Flurry of golds highlight Simone Biles’ impressive comeback as Paris Olympics loom

US superstar Simone Biles continued her spectacular return from a two-year break by claiming her 21st world title with all-around gold at the world gymnastics championships on Friday.

Already a winner of team gold on Wednesday, the American produced a dominant display to score 58.399 points and secure the title ahead of defending champion Rebeca Andrade of Brazil (56.766), with American teammate Shilese Jones taking bronze (56.332).

Biles obtained the best score on three of the four apparatuses, with the uneven bars the exception.

It was the 27th time she has medalled at worlds and the 26-year-old gymnast was teary-eyed as she stood on the podium with her sixth all-around world crown.

"Actually, I had something in my eye today that I couldn't get out, I swear it's true," she told reporters. "But I was emotional, because 10 years ago I won my first worlds and now we're back here," said Biles of her return to Antwerp where she opened her world tally in 2013, winning four medals, including two golds.

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"It means everything to me, after everything I've put in to get back to this place to feel comfortable and confident enough to compete."

With two more days of competition, everything suggests her medal collection will be further enriched since she still has four apparatus finals come.

Biles has made a breathtaking comeback, two years after the Tokyo Olympics marked by her episode of "twisties", a temporary mental block whereby gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air.

Arriving in Japan as the big favourite thanks to her four gold medals won five years earlier in Rio de Janeiro, Biles broke down and withdrew from four of the five finals.

Back at the highest level, the 1.42m Texan is gearing up for the Paris Olympics after taking advantage of her break to take care of her mental health.

"I was actually less nervous today," said Biles. "I was so much more nervous for team finals just because that's when everything occurred (in Tokyo) so I was a bit traumatised from that, so today I felt a little bit more relaxed. I'm happy that's over."

<h2>'She's like wine, better with age'</h2>

"She still has difficulties, she's not perfect," said her coach, Frenchwoman Cecile Landi.

"(But) she proves to everyone that she can be better than before. She is like wine, she gets better with age."

During qualifying last weekend Biles added a new line to her legend by becoming the first woman to complete a Yurchenko double pike vault, which now bears her name as the "Biles II".

On Friday, spectators at Antwerp's Sportpaleis witnessed another extremely rare occurrence when Biles tripped on the mat while preparing for a simple leap towards the end of her floor routine.

The incident, accompanied by murmurs of surprise from the crowd and which drew a smile from the American, came with the gold effectively already secured.

"I just tripped, clumsy," she said. "I'm like that outside of the gym, so I'm not surprised it happened.

"I felt like my legs were so heavy and I couldn't pick them up."

The podium was entirely composed of black gymnasts for the first time.

"We had a black podium of girls, so I thought that's amazing: 'Black girl magic!'," she smiled. "Hopefully it just teaches all the young girls out that you can do anything you put your mind to if you train hard."

Biles' 34 world and Olympic medals make her the most decorated gymnast in history.

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US superstar Simone Biles continued her spectacular return from a two-year break by claiming her 21st world title with all-around gold at the world gymnastics championships on Friday.

US superstar Simone Biles continued her spectacular return from a two-year break by claiming her 21st world title with all-around gold at the world gymnastics championships on Friday. Already a winner of team gold on Wednesday, the American produced a dominant display to score 58.399 points and secure the title ahead of defending champion Rebeca Andrade of Brazil (56.766), with American teammate Shilese Jones taking bronze (56.332). Biles obtained the best score on three of the four apparatuses, with the uneven bars the exception. It was the 27th time she has medalled at worlds and the 26-year-old gymnast was teary-eyed as she stood on the podium with her sixth all-around world crown. "Actually, I had something in my eye today that I couldn't get out, I swear it's true," she told reporters. "But I was emotional, because 10 years ago I won my first worlds and now we're back here," said Biles of her return to Antwerp where she opened her world tally in 2013, winning four medals, including two golds. ALSO READ: 'I trust the car but driver is the problem': Chelsea boss Pochettino's amusing analogy over VAR controversy "It means everything to me, after everything I've put in to get back to this place to feel comfortable and confident enough to compete." With two more days of competition, everything suggests her medal collection will be further enriched since she still has four apparatus finals come. Biles has made a breathtaking comeback, two years after the Tokyo Olympics marked by her episode of "twisties", a temporary mental block whereby gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air. Arriving in Japan as the big favourite thanks to her four gold medals won five years earlier in Rio de Janeiro, Biles broke down and withdrew from four of the five finals. Back at the highest level, the 1.42m Texan is gearing up for the Paris Olympics after taking advantage of her break to take care of her mental health. "I was actually less nervous today," said Biles. "I was so much more nervous for team finals just because that's when everything occurred (in Tokyo) so I was a bit traumatised from that, so today I felt a little bit more relaxed. I'm happy that's over." 'She's like wine, better with age' "She still has difficulties, she's not perfect," said her coach, Frenchwoman Cecile Landi. "(But) she proves to everyone that she can be better than before. She is like wine, she gets better with age." During qualifying last weekend Biles added a new line to her legend by becoming the first woman to complete a Yurchenko double pike vault, which now bears her name as the "Biles II". On Friday, spectators at Antwerp's Sportpaleis witnessed another extremely rare occurrence when Biles tripped on the mat while preparing for a simple leap towards the end of her floor routine. The incident, accompanied by murmurs of surprise from the crowd and which drew a smile from the American, came with the gold effectively already secured. "I just tripped, clumsy," she said. "I'm like that outside of the gym, so I'm not surprised it happened. "I felt like my legs were so heavy and I couldn't pick them up." The podium was entirely composed of black gymnasts for the first time. "We had a black podium of girls, so I thought that's amazing: 'Black girl magic!'," she smiled. "Hopefully it just teaches all the young girls out that you can do anything you put your mind to if you train hard." Biles' 34 world and Olympic medals make her the most decorated gymnast in history. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Gymnastics queen Simone Biles unlocks another milestone with 21st world title

Simone&nbsp;Biles&nbsp;claimed her 20th world title as she continued her return from a two-year break to lead the United States to a seventh straight women's team gold at the world gymnastics championships in Antwerp on Wednesday.

The USA extended their domination going back to 2011, in the absence of Russia, the last team to beat them in a major competition.

"It's crazy, we still pulled it out, I'm really proud of the team," said&nbsp;Biles.

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"It's the seventh title in a row for the United States. For some girls, it's their first World Championship, I'm excited to share that with them."

The Americans scored 167.729 points to take gold ahead of Brazil (165.530) with Olympic hosts France winning bronze (164.064).

"She's the leader, having someone so inspiring and so encouraging... Team USA came together and we did what we needed to do tonight," said&nbsp;Biles' teammate Shilese Jones.

The team victory gives&nbsp;Biles&nbsp;her 26th world medal and a record-extending 20th world title.

And she could extend that tally as she is still in the running for five other podiums in Antwerp.

The Texan has made an impressive comeback, two years after the Tokyo Olympics.

Arriving in Japan as the big favourite thanks to her four gold medals won five years earlier in Rio de Janeiro,&nbsp;Biles&nbsp;broke down in full view of a global audience, withdrawing from four of the five finals.

She explained that she was fighting against the "twisties", a temporary mental block whereby gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air, with the risk of injury when they land.

<h2>I'm not 16 any more'</h2>

In Antwerp, however, she seems to be getting her career back on track.

It was in the same city that&nbsp;Biles&nbsp;won her first world gold 10 years ago during her first world championships, when she claimed four medals, including two golds.

"I think each and every time you are crowned world champion it feels a little bit different,"&nbsp;Biles&nbsp;told journalists in Belgium.

"I'm still surprised, I'm 26, I'm a little bit older so it feels just as good as the first one just because we broke records, we came together, we had fight. It's different but it's exciting.

"I'm not like 16 any more, I'm 26, like everything feels different.

"I'm thinking a little bit more about my gymnastics. It's not so carefree.

"Staying at the top and just pushing day in, day out is a little bit harder because I'm older, my body is tired and everybody's like 'Gosh she looks great' and I'm like, I feel I'm going to die sometimes and then I come out here and I rely on my training and get back to work."&nbsp;

To achieve this latest title, the 1.42m gymnast didn't even need to perform her incredible Yurchenko double pike which now bears her name.

On Wednesday, she settled for a Cheng, executed to perfection to launch the American campaign.

Despite a slight imbalance on the beam, her overall performance, highlighted by scoring 15.166 on the floor, was again strong, like on Sunday during the qualifications.

Biles, Shilese Jones, Leanne Wong and Skye Blakely resisted a comeback from the Brazilians, who won the first team medal in their history.

The other member of the American team, Joscelyn Roberson, was injured in the vault warm-up and did not compete.

Reigning all-around world champion Rebeca Andrade impressed for Brazil, delivering a classy performance on the floor, scoring 14.666.

The surprise came from France who snatched bronze largely thanks to Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos,&nbsp;Biles' training partner in the United States.

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Simone Biles claimed her 20th world title as she continued her return from a two-year break to lead the United States to a seventh straight women's team gold at the world gymnastics championships in Antwerp on Wednesday.

Simone Biles claimed her 20th world title as she continued her return from a two-year break to lead the United States to a seventh straight women's team gold at the world gymnastics championships in Antwerp on Wednesday. The USA extended their domination going back to 2011, in the absence of Russia, the last team to beat them in a major competition. "It's crazy, we still pulled it out, I'm really proud of the team," said Biles. Also Read: Major League Soccer: Inter Miami's playoff hopes fade after Chicago rout sans Messi "It's the seventh title in a row for the United States. For some girls, it's their first World Championship, I'm excited to share that with them." The Americans scored 167.729 points to take gold ahead of Brazil (165.530) with Olympic hosts France winning bronze (164.064). "She's the leader, having someone so inspiring and so encouraging... Team USA came together and we did what we needed to do tonight," said Biles' teammate Shilese Jones. The team victory gives Biles her 26th world medal and a record-extending 20th world title. And she could extend that tally as she is still in the running for five other podiums in Antwerp. The Texan has made an impressive comeback, two years after the Tokyo Olympics. Arriving in Japan as the big favourite thanks to her four gold medals won five years earlier in Rio de Janeiro, Biles broke down in full view of a global audience, withdrawing from four of the five finals. She explained that she was fighting against the "twisties", a temporary mental block whereby gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air, with the risk of injury when they land. I'm not 16 any more' In Antwerp, however, she seems to be getting her career back on track. It was in the same city that Biles won her first world gold 10 years ago during her first world championships, when she claimed four medals, including two golds. "I think each and every time you are crowned world champion it feels a little bit different," Biles told journalists in Belgium. "I'm still surprised, I'm 26, I'm a little bit older so it feels just as good as the first one just because we broke records, we came together, we had fight. It's different but it's exciting. "I'm not like 16 any more, I'm 26, like everything feels different. "I'm thinking a little bit more about my gymnastics. It's not so carefree. "Staying at the top and just pushing day in, day out is a little bit harder because I'm older, my body is tired and everybody's like 'Gosh she looks great' and I'm like, I feel I'm going to die sometimes and then I come out here and I rely on my training and get back to work." To achieve this latest title, the 1.42m gymnast didn't even need to perform her incredible Yurchenko double pike which now bears her name. On Wednesday, she settled for a Cheng, executed to perfection to launch the American campaign. Despite a slight imbalance on the beam, her overall performance, highlighted by scoring 15.166 on the floor, was again strong, like on Sunday during the qualifications. Biles, Shilese Jones, Leanne Wong and Skye Blakely resisted a comeback from the Brazilians, who won the first team medal in their history. The other member of the American team, Joscelyn Roberson, was injured in the vault warm-up and did not compete. Reigning all-around world champion Rebeca Andrade impressed for Brazil, delivering a classy performance on the floor, scoring 14.666. The surprise came from France who snatched bronze largely thanks to Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos, Biles' training partner in the United States. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Simone Biles leads USA to seventh straight women's team gold at World Gymnastic Championships

Two years after her emotional Tokyo Olympics exit, US superstar Simone Biles made a spectacular and dramatic return to international gymnastics at the world championships on Sunday.

The 26-year-old successfully became the first female gymnast to execute a "Yurchenko double pike vault" now renamed "Biles II" during women's qualifying.&nbsp;

Her ambitious return earned her 15.266 points, far ahead of the competition.&nbsp;

In total, she accumulated 58.865 points at the end of the four apparatuses and took the lead in qualifying.

A 19-time world and four-time Olympic champion, Biles arrived in Japan for the 2021 Olympics as the huge favourite thanks to her four titles won five years earlier in Rio.

However, she broke down in full view of a global audience, withdrawing from most of the events.&nbsp;

She then explained that she was fighting against "twisties", a temporary mental block whereby gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air, with the risk of injury when they land.&nbsp;

She returned to action at the beginning of August and demonstrated that she had lost none of her incredible level.&nbsp;

She won the US Classic, where she obtained the best scores on vault, floor and beam, followed by a record eighth US all-around title at the national championships.

"I think what success means to me is a little bit different than before because before everyone defined success for me, even if I had my own narrative that I wanted,"&nbsp;Biles told Olympics.com prior to the world championships.

"So, now, it's just showing up, being in a good head place, having fun out there, and whatever happens, happens."

On Sunday, she also competed on the uneven bars for 14.400 points, balance beam where she scored 14.566 and then soared on the floor exercise for a reward of&nbsp;14.633.

That paved the way for her spectacular vault.

Biles and her USA team will now go for team gold on Wednesday in Antwerp.

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<h2>Chiba inspires Japan</h2>

Meanwhile, Kenta Chiba led the way as Japan dominated the men's team all-around qualifiers.

With 258.228 points, they are four points ahead of the United States and Britain.

They also occupy the first three places in the individual standings.&nbsp;

With a total of 85.799 points, Chiba finished first ahead of teammate Kazuma Kaya (85.598) and Daiki Hashimoto (85.432), the reigning Olympic and world champion in the individual all-around.&nbsp;

Only two competitors from each country can compete in the all-around final, so Hashimoto should have been left out.&nbsp;

But his team, as the regulations allow, said they preferred to retain Hashimoto at the expense of Kaya.

The floor, pommel horse, rings and high bars were also dominated by the reigning Olympic champions of each apparatus.&nbsp;

The qualification rounds are also used to allocate the last team places for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Turkey, the Netherlands and Ukraine have secured their places joining China, Britain and Japan who were already qualified.

France, however, missed out on a berth at their own Olympics after finishing 19th in qualifying.

"We knew we had to achieve something almost perfect to qualify," said one of the team, Jim Zona.

France also failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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Two years after her emotional Tokyo Olympics exit, US superstar Simone Biles made a spectacular and dramatic return to international gymnastics at the world championships on Sunday.

Two years after her emotional Tokyo Olympics exit, US superstar Simone Biles made a spectacular and dramatic return to international gymnastics at the world championships on Sunday. The 26-year-old successfully became the first female gymnast to execute a "Yurchenko double pike vault" now renamed "Biles II" during women's qualifying. Her ambitious return earned her 15.266 points, far ahead of the competition. In total, she accumulated 58.865 points at the end of the four apparatuses and took the lead in qualifying. A 19-time world and four-time Olympic champion, Biles arrived in Japan for the 2021 Olympics as the huge favourite thanks to her four titles won five years earlier in Rio. However, she broke down in full view of a global audience, withdrawing from most of the events. She then explained that she was fighting against "twisties", a temporary mental block whereby gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air, with the risk of injury when they land. She returned to action at the beginning of August and demonstrated that she had lost none of her incredible level. She won the US Classic, where she obtained the best scores on vault, floor and beam, followed by a record eighth US all-around title at the national championships. "I think what success means to me is a little bit different than before because before everyone defined success for me, even if I had my own narrative that I wanted," Biles told Olympics.com prior to the world championships. "So, now, it's just showing up, being in a good head place, having fun out there, and whatever happens, happens." On Sunday, she also competed on the uneven bars for 14.400 points, balance beam where she scored 14.566 and then soared on the floor exercise for a reward of 14.633. That paved the way for her spectacular vault. Biles and her USA team will now go for team gold on Wednesday in Antwerp. ALSO READ | CWC 2023: Team wasn’t gelled well, there were no discussions: Moin Khan after Pakistan’s loss to NZ in warm-up Chiba inspires Japan Meanwhile, Kenta Chiba led the way as Japan dominated the men's team all-around qualifiers. With 258.228 points, they are four points ahead of the United States and Britain. They also occupy the first three places in the individual standings. With a total of 85.799 points, Chiba finished first ahead of teammate Kazuma Kaya (85.598) and Daiki Hashimoto (85.432), the reigning Olympic and world champion in the individual all-around. Only two competitors from each country can compete in the all-around final, so Hashimoto should have been left out. But his team, as the regulations allow, said they preferred to retain Hashimoto at the expense of Kaya. The floor, pommel horse, rings and high bars were also dominated by the reigning Olympic champions of each apparatus. The qualification rounds are also used to allocate the last team places for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Turkey, the Netherlands and Ukraine have secured their places joining China, Britain and Japan who were already qualified. France, however, missed out on a berth at their own Olympics after finishing 19th in qualifying. "We knew we had to achieve something almost perfect to qualify," said one of the team, Jim Zona. France also failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Simone Biles makes spectacular return at gymnastics world championships

Simone Biles is set to compete in her sixth world championships this month after posting the top all-around score at a U.S. qualifying competition, USA Gymnastics said on Wednesday. Biles, a four-times Olympic champion and 19-times world gold medallist, headlines the five-woman team heading to Antwerp, Belgium, where she won the first of her five world all-around titles in 2013 at the age of 16.

"Back to where it all started, see you soon Belgium," the 26-year-old wrote on Instagram. Biles will become the first woman to represent the U.S. at six artistic world championships, according to USA Gymnastics, after earning automatic qualification by topping the all-around standings at this week's two-day selection camp in Katy, Texas.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/baseball-milwaukee-brewers-pitcher-mejia-hit-with-162-game-mlb-doping-ban-638052">Baseball: Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Mejia hit with 162-game MLB doping ban</a>

She will be joined by Shilese Jones, Leanne Wong and Skye Blakely - all part of the team that won last year's world championships - and 17-year-old Joscelyn Roberson. The championships run from Sept. 30 to Oct. 8.

Biles returned to competition in August after a two-year break from the sport, having withdrawn from multiple events at the COVID-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021 due to the 'twisties', a loss of spatial awareness in mid-air. She won a record eighth all-round title at the national championships and said earlier this month that her goal was to compete at next year's Paris Games.

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Simone Biles is set to compete in her sixth world championships this month after posting the top all-around score at a U.S. qualifying competition, USA Gymnastics said on Wednesday.

Simone Biles is set to compete in her sixth world championships this month after posting the top all-around score at a U.S. qualifying competition, USA Gymnastics said on Wednesday. Biles, a four-times Olympic champion and 19-times world gold medallist, headlines the five-woman team heading to Antwerp, Belgium, where she won the first of her five world all-around titles in 2013 at the age of 16. "Back to where it all started, see you soon Belgium," the 26-year-old wrote on Instagram. Biles will become the first woman to represent the U.S. at six artistic world championships, according to USA Gymnastics, after earning automatic qualification by topping the all-around standings at this week's two-day selection camp in Katy, Texas. Also read: Baseball: Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Mejia hit with 162-game MLB doping ban She will be joined by Shilese Jones, Leanne Wong and Skye Blakely - all part of the team that won last year's world championships - and 17-year-old Joscelyn Roberson. The championships run from Sept. 30 to Oct. 8. Biles returned to competition in August after a two-year break from the sport, having withdrawn from multiple events at the COVID-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021 due to the 'twisties', a loss of spatial awareness in mid-air. She won a record eighth all-round title at the national championships and said earlier this month that her goal was to compete at next year's Paris Games. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Gymnastics: Simone Biles set to compete in sixth world championships

With her comeback gaining steam, US gymnastics great Simone Biles said Thursday she would "love" to chase more gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"That's the path that I would love to go," Biles said in an interview on NBC's Today show, the first time since her return from a two-year hiatus that she confirmed the Paris Games were in her plans.

The four-time Olympic gold medallist has looked like her dazzling old self in two competitions in August, twice nailing her signature Yurchenko double pike, a vault so difficult that no other woman has performed it in competition.

She won a record eighth US all-around title at the national championships to put herself in position to add to her 19 world titles when the World Championships are held in Antwerp, Belgium, September 30-October 8.

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Until Thursday, Biles had said she intended to remain "a little bit secretive" about her competitive goals as she strives to maintain a balance between her sport and personal life.

Biles, 26, was the sport's dominant force and out to defend the four gold medals won in the 2016 Rio Olympics when she pulled out of most of her events at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games in 2021.

She was battling the "twisties," a dangerous phenomenon in which gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air.

Her decision to withdraw was hailed as a watershed moment for the issue of mental health in elite sports, and Biles reiterated on Thursday that even as she looks toward Paris she continues to focus on &nbsp;her mental health.

"I think I have to take care of myself a little bit more and listen to my body," she said of how she's changed as a gymnast. "Making sure that I'm making time for the important things in my life rather than before it was just like go, go, go and then making time after.

"This time around it's being intentional, going to therapy, making sure everything is aligned so that I can do the best in the gym and be a good wife, good daughter, good friend, all the good things," added Biles, who married Green Bay Packers safety Jonathan Owens in April.

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With her comeback gaining steam, US gymnastics great Simone Biles said Thursday she would "love" to chase more gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. "That's the path that I would love to go," Biles said in an interview on NBC's Today show, the first time since her return from a two-year hiatus that she confirmed the Paris Games were in her plans.

With her comeback gaining steam, US gymnastics great Simone Biles said Thursday she would "love" to chase more gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. "That's the path that I would love to go," Biles said in an interview on NBC's Today show, the first time since her return from a two-year hiatus that she confirmed the Paris Games were in her plans. The four-time Olympic gold medallist has looked like her dazzling old self in two competitions in August, twice nailing her signature Yurchenko double pike, a vault so difficult that no other woman has performed it in competition. She won a record eighth US all-around title at the national championships to put herself in position to add to her 19 world titles when the World Championships are held in Antwerp, Belgium, September 30-October 8. ALSO READ: Rugby World Cup 2023: Hosts France to face three-time winners New Zealand in curtain-raiser Until Thursday, Biles had said she intended to remain "a little bit secretive" about her competitive goals as she strives to maintain a balance between her sport and personal life. Biles, 26, was the sport's dominant force and out to defend the four gold medals won in the 2016 Rio Olympics when she pulled out of most of her events at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games in 2021. She was battling the "twisties," a dangerous phenomenon in which gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air. Her decision to withdraw was hailed as a watershed moment for the issue of mental health in elite sports, and Biles reiterated on Thursday that even as she looks toward Paris she continues to focus on her mental health. "I think I have to take care of myself a little bit more and listen to my body," she said of how she's changed as a gymnast. "Making sure that I'm making time for the important things in my life rather than before it was just like go, go, go and then making time after. "This time around it's being intentional, going to therapy, making sure everything is aligned so that I can do the best in the gym and be a good wife, good daughter, good friend, all the good things," added Biles, who married Green Bay Packers safety Jonathan Owens in April. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

That's the path that I would love to go: US gymnastics great Simone Biles chases gold at Paris Games

Simone&nbsp;Biles&nbsp;dazzled on floor exercise Sunday on the way to a record eighth all-around title at the US Gymnastics Championships, another step on a comeback trail pointing toward the Paris Olympics.

The four-time Olympic gold medallist electrified the SAP Center crowd with a soaring floor routine that included a rock-solid landing on her signature&nbsp;Biles&nbsp;I tumbling pass of double layout with a half-twist.

It was her final event of the competition and brought ecstatic fans to their feet, earning a score of 15.400 for a triumphant all-around total of 118.450 points.

Also Watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/neeraj-chopras-gold-medal-throw-at-world-athletics-and-warm-gesture-for-paks-arshad-nadeem-watch-629824">Neeraj Chopra's gold medal throw at World Athletics and warm gesture for Pak's Arshad Nadeem&nbsp;</a>

Shi Jones, last year's world championships all-around silver medallist, was second, 3.9 points back with 114.550 and Leanne Wong was third on 111.100.

Biles&nbsp;broke the record for most all-around titles for a man or woman, set by Alfred Jochim with his seventh in 1933 and matched by&nbsp;Biles&nbsp;in 2021.

Ten years after winning her first US all-around title, the 26-year-old&nbsp;Biles&nbsp;became the oldest woman to seize the national all-around title.

"I've been doing it for so long, I feel like I don't think about numbers,"&nbsp;Biles&nbsp;told broadcaster NBC. "I think about my performance and I think overall I hit eight for eight.

"I guess it's a lucky number this year."

Biles&nbsp;had taken control on Friday with a dazzling version of her Yurchenko double pike vault that was awarded 9.8 for execution and scored a whopping 15.700.

On Sunday in vault, she opted for a moderately less difficult Cheng vault, scoring 14.850 -- still the second-highest scoring vault of the competition.

She also achieved her aim of ironing out a few mistakes on balance beam, capturing apparatus gold in vault, beam and floor and finishing third in the uneven bars.

Biles&nbsp;was the only competitor to finish the two days of competition with two scores of 15 or higher. Jones produced the only other score of 15 -- with a 15.0 on Sunday's uneven bars.

Biles's triumph came in just the second competition of her return from a two-year break, which followed her dramatic withdrawal from multiple events at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

She was the sport's dominant force and out to defend four gold medals won in Rio when she pulled out of most of her events in Tokyo citing the "twisties" -- the dangerous phenomenon in which gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air.

Her decision to withdraw was widely hailed as a watershed moment for the issue of mental health in elite sports.

Biles&nbsp;did earn a balance beam bronze in Tokyo, and now she looks set to contend again at next month's World Championships in Antwerp and, by extension, the Paris Olympics next year.

<h2>Personal goals</h2>

But as she remains focused on her mental well-being,&nbsp;Biles&nbsp;declined to elaborate on the "personal goals" fueling her latest return to the sport, which started with an all-around title at the US Classic three weeks ago.

"I like to keep them personal, just so that I know what I'm aiming for," she said. "I think it's better that way. I'm trying to move a little bit differently this year than I have in the past. I think it's working so far.

"So I'm going to keep it a little bit secretive," said&nbsp;Biles, adding "not yet" when asked if she could share whether those goals included Paris.

Certainly&nbsp;Biles, who has won 19 World Championships gold medals, has shown before she can come back.

She won four straight US all-around titles from 2013-16, then took a break after her dominant performance at the Rio de Janeiro Games before returning to win two more in 2018-19.

After the Covid pandemic wiped out the 2020 championships and pushed back the Olympics, she won a national all-around title before the drama of her highly anticipated Tokyo campaign.

Her "amazing" reception from fans in San Jose,&nbsp;Biles&nbsp;said, was a morale-building reminder that "everybody in here believes in me" as she heads to next month's training camp where the US women's team for Antwerp will be chosen.

"So I just need to start believing in myself a little bit more," she said.

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Simone Biles dazzled on floor exercise Sunday on the way to a record eighth all-around title at the US Gymnastics Championships, another step on a comeback trail pointing toward the Paris Olympics.

Simone Biles dazzled on floor exercise Sunday on the way to a record eighth all-around title at the US Gymnastics Championships, another step on a comeback trail pointing toward the Paris Olympics. The four-time Olympic gold medallist electrified the SAP Center crowd with a soaring floor routine that included a rock-solid landing on her signature Biles I tumbling pass of double layout with a half-twist. It was her final event of the competition and brought ecstatic fans to their feet, earning a score of 15.400 for a triumphant all-around total of 118.450 points. Also Watch: Neeraj Chopra's gold medal throw at World Athletics and warm gesture for Pak's Arshad Nadeem Shi Jones, last year's world championships all-around silver medallist, was second, 3.9 points back with 114.550 and Leanne Wong was third on 111.100. Biles broke the record for most all-around titles for a man or woman, set by Alfred Jochim with his seventh in 1933 and matched by Biles in 2021. Ten years after winning her first US all-around title, the 26-year-old Biles became the oldest woman to seize the national all-around title. "I've been doing it for so long, I feel like I don't think about numbers," Biles told broadcaster NBC. "I think about my performance and I think overall I hit eight for eight. "I guess it's a lucky number this year." Biles had taken control on Friday with a dazzling version of her Yurchenko double pike vault that was awarded 9.8 for execution and scored a whopping 15.700. On Sunday in vault, she opted for a moderately less difficult Cheng vault, scoring 14.850 -- still the second-highest scoring vault of the competition. She also achieved her aim of ironing out a few mistakes on balance beam, capturing apparatus gold in vault, beam and floor and finishing third in the uneven bars. Biles was the only competitor to finish the two days of competition with two scores of 15 or higher. Jones produced the only other score of 15 -- with a 15.0 on Sunday's uneven bars. Biles's triumph came in just the second competition of her return from a two-year break, which followed her dramatic withdrawal from multiple events at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021. She was the sport's dominant force and out to defend four gold medals won in Rio when she pulled out of most of her events in Tokyo citing the "twisties" -- the dangerous phenomenon in which gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air. Her decision to withdraw was widely hailed as a watershed moment for the issue of mental health in elite sports. Biles did earn a balance beam bronze in Tokyo, and now she looks set to contend again at next month's World Championships in Antwerp and, by extension, the Paris Olympics next year. Personal goals But as she remains focused on her mental well-being, Biles declined to elaborate on the "personal goals" fueling her latest return to the sport, which started with an all-around title at the US Classic three weeks ago. "I like to keep them personal, just so that I know what I'm aiming for," she said. "I think it's better that way. I'm trying to move a little bit differently this year than I have in the past. I think it's working so far. "So I'm going to keep it a little bit secretive," said Biles, adding "not yet" when asked if she could share whether those goals included Paris. Certainly Biles, who has won 19 World Championships gold medals, has shown before she can come back. She won four straight US all-around titles from 2013-16, then took a break after her dominant performance at the Rio de Janeiro Games before returning to win two more in 2018-19. After the Covid pandemic wiped out the 2020 championships and pushed back the Olympics, she won a national all-around title before the drama of her highly anticipated Tokyo campaign. Her "amazing" reception from fans in San Jose, Biles said, was a morale-building reminder that "everybody in here believes in me" as she heads to next month's training camp where the US women's team for Antwerp will be chosen. "So I just need to start believing in myself a little bit more," she said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US Gymnastics Championships: Simone Biles wins record eighth US all-around title

Four-time Olympic champion Simone Biles made a triumphant return to gymnastics after a two-year hiatus, dominating the US Classic on Saturday in her first competition since the Tokyo Olympics.

Biles, a 19-time world champion, electrified a sellout crowd in suburban Chicago with a stunning performance, receiving an all-around judges' total score of 59.100 points.

"It felt really good, especially after everything that has happened over the past year," said Biles, who was married earlier this year.

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"I got back out here and I did what I was training (to do) so I'm very happy with the result."

The meet was the last chance to qualify for the US nationals in three weeks at San Jose, California, and Biles is also hoping to compete for a title in Antwerp in October at the World Championships.

Biles used the US Classic as her comeback meet in 2018 after a lengthy break following her starring role at the 2016 Rio Olympics, which included gold in all-around, vault, floor and team.

While Biles has not announced if she will be making a bid to compete at next year's Paris Olympics, her superb comeback spectacle at the Classic at age 26 could be a first stride in that direction.

"We're still in the working steps," Biles said when asked about the Paris Games. "My main goal was this and then championships and after that we'll look on to worlds and then we'll see.

"So far it's heading in the right direction but I still have to work on myself. I'm still going to do my therapy. I'm going to put myself first."

Biles struggled at the Games in Japan in 2021 with mental health issues and the "twisties" -- a disorienting feeling while in mid-air that leaves gymnasts at greater injury risk when landing.

She was affected early in the Olympic team competition, pulled out of the all-around plus the vault, uneven bars and floor exercise disciplines before taking bronze on the balance beam.

"I always kind of knew (I'd return) as soon as everything happened in Tokyo," she said. "This time I'm doing it for me.

"I worked a lot on myself and I believe in myself a little bit more. It's just coming back out here and starting those first steps again."

Biles and her issues in Tokyo put a new emphasis on mental health struggles for elite athletes. She still faces them but with cheering supporters yelling for joy at her every routine, she knows she's not doing so alone.

"Everyone that was cheering -- made posters, all of that in the crowd -- it just made my heart melt that they still believe in me," Biles said.

"It means the world because after everything that transpired in Tokyo, I worked on myself a lot," Biles said. "I still do therapy weekly and it has just been so exciting to come out here and have the confidence I had before.

"It means the world because I feel like I lost a part of that sometimes, so to come back out here and do what I did tonight and have that support from the fans and everybody watching, I just couldn't thank them enough."

Biles began on the uneven bars, where her strong performance received a score of 14.000 points, third-best overall.

She followed by going first on balance beam and delivering a spectacular 14.800, the meet's top score.

Biles went last in rotation three on floor exercise and drew cheers during and after every tumbling run, her flips and landings on incredible passes bringing a roar at the finish of an effort that was rewarded with a meet-best 14.900&nbsp;points.

She finished on vault and&nbsp;unleashed another epic performance, soaring high and landing well -- showing no signs of rust from the long layoff in earning a meet-best 15.400 score.

Leanne Wong, 19, finished second, five points off the pace on 54.100, with 17-year-old Joscelyn Roberson third on 54.050.

Biles elected not to perform some riskier moves in her return routines as part of her overall comeback strategy.

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Four-time Olympic champion Simone Biles made a triumphant return to gymnastics after a two-year hiatus, dominating the US Classic on Saturday in her first competition since the Tokyo Olympics.

Four-time Olympic champion Simone Biles made a triumphant return to gymnastics after a two-year hiatus, dominating the US Classic on Saturday in her first competition since the Tokyo Olympics. Biles, a 19-time world champion, electrified a sellout crowd in suburban Chicago with a stunning performance, receiving an all-around judges' total score of 59.100 points. "It felt really good, especially after everything that has happened over the past year," said Biles, who was married earlier this year. Also Read: Aditi Gopichand scripts history, gives India its maiden individual gold at World Archery Championships "I got back out here and I did what I was training (to do) so I'm very happy with the result." The meet was the last chance to qualify for the US nationals in three weeks at San Jose, California, and Biles is also hoping to compete for a title in Antwerp in October at the World Championships. Biles used the US Classic as her comeback meet in 2018 after a lengthy break following her starring role at the 2016 Rio Olympics, which included gold in all-around, vault, floor and team. While Biles has not announced if she will be making a bid to compete at next year's Paris Olympics, her superb comeback spectacle at the Classic at age 26 could be a first stride in that direction. "We're still in the working steps," Biles said when asked about the Paris Games. "My main goal was this and then championships and after that we'll look on to worlds and then we'll see. "So far it's heading in the right direction but I still have to work on myself. I'm still going to do my therapy. I'm going to put myself first." Biles struggled at the Games in Japan in 2021 with mental health issues and the "twisties" -- a disorienting feeling while in mid-air that leaves gymnasts at greater injury risk when landing. She was affected early in the Olympic team competition, pulled out of the all-around plus the vault, uneven bars and floor exercise disciplines before taking bronze on the balance beam. "I always kind of knew (I'd return) as soon as everything happened in Tokyo," she said. "This time I'm doing it for me. "I worked a lot on myself and I believe in myself a little bit more. It's just coming back out here and starting those first steps again." Biles and her issues in Tokyo put a new emphasis on mental health struggles for elite athletes. She still faces them but with cheering supporters yelling for joy at her every routine, she knows she's not doing so alone. "Everyone that was cheering -- made posters, all of that in the crowd -- it just made my heart melt that they still believe in me," Biles said. "It means the world because after everything that transpired in Tokyo, I worked on myself a lot," Biles said. "I still do therapy weekly and it has just been so exciting to come out here and have the confidence I had before. "It means the world because I feel like I lost a part of that sometimes, so to come back out here and do what I did tonight and have that support from the fans and everybody watching, I just couldn't thank them enough." Biles began on the uneven bars, where her strong performance received a score of 14.000 points, third-best overall. She followed by going first on balance beam and delivering a spectacular 14.800, the meet's top score. Biles went last in rotation three on floor exercise and drew cheers during and after every tumbling run, her flips and landings on incredible passes bringing a roar at the finish of an effort that was rewarded with a meet-best 14.900 points. She finished on vault and unleashed another epic performance, soaring high and landing well -- showing no signs of rust from the long layoff in earning a meet-best 15.400 score. Leanne Wong, 19, finished second, five points off the pace on 54.100, with 17-year-old Joscelyn Roberson third on 54.050. Biles elected not to perform some riskier moves in her return routines as part of her overall comeback strategy. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Four-time Olympic champion Simone Biles makes triumphant return to gymnastics at US Classic

Four-time Olympic gold medal gymnast Simone Biles geared up for her highly anticipated return to competition with an impressive practice session ahead of Saturday's US Classic -- her first event since the Tokyo Olympics.

The 26-year-old superstar, a 19-time world champion, has not taken part in elite competition since her drama-filled campaign at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games two years ago.

After struggling in the early rounds of the team competition at those Games, she withdrew and then pulled out of the all-around competition as well as the vault, uneven bars and floor disciplines.

On Friday, she spent time on the four apparatuses with familiar routines and finished on the vault where she performed the highly challenging Yurchenko double pike.

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She did not speak to reporters after the session, but Biles's coach, Cecile Landi, said there had been no late doubts from Biles about getting back into action.

"We wouldn't be here if we had seen any hesitation," Landi said. "It's her will to be here, we support it, we see it, so as long as she tells us she is good to go, we're going to continue."

This weekend's event in Chicago will also mark a return to competition for reigning Olympic all-around champion Sunisa Lee, who has battled a kidney-related health issue this year.

Lee said she was hugely impressed with how Biles performed in training.

"I was watching her and she looks amazing, she does not even look like she took like a year off, any time off," she said.

"But again, she’s Simone, she’s just amazing, it’s really cool to be competing alongside her and just to have her there if I needed to talk or anything," she said.

Biles had first mentioned she wanted to return during a dinner at a Mexican restaurant in March, Landi said, and then ramped up her efforts after her wedding in May.

"I would say it's after her wedding once everything was over, that we saw a shift in her training and commitment to being back," she said.

Once back to work, Landi said she realized that Biles's skill-set remained solid despite the time away from the sport.

"She could do everything that she could do before," Landi said. "I think we just used the routines... to make it as mentally and physically comfortable as she could handle."

Biles has said that in Tokyo she felt as if she had the "weight of the world on my shoulders."

She said her issues had been due to an attack of what gymnasts call the "twisties" -- where athletes become disoriented and lose their sense of where they are in the air at a given moment, leaving them at risk of injury when they land.

She eventually returned for the balance beam final, opting for a less ambitious routine than usual that earned a bronze medal.

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Four-time Olympic gold medal gymnast Simone Biles geared up for her highly anticipated return to competition with an impressive practice session ahead of Saturday's US Classic -- her first event since the Tokyo Olympics.

Four-time Olympic gold medal gymnast Simone Biles geared up for her highly anticipated return to competition with an impressive practice session ahead of Saturday's US Classic -- her first event since the Tokyo Olympics. The 26-year-old superstar, a 19-time world champion, has not taken part in elite competition since her drama-filled campaign at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games two years ago. After struggling in the early rounds of the team competition at those Games, she withdrew and then pulled out of the all-around competition as well as the vault, uneven bars and floor disciplines. On Friday, she spent time on the four apparatuses with familiar routines and finished on the vault where she performed the highly challenging Yurchenko double pike. ALSO READ: Golf: Russell Henley maintains one-shot lead at Wyndham Championship She did not speak to reporters after the session, but Biles's coach, Cecile Landi, said there had been no late doubts from Biles about getting back into action. "We wouldn't be here if we had seen any hesitation," Landi said. "It's her will to be here, we support it, we see it, so as long as she tells us she is good to go, we're going to continue." This weekend's event in Chicago will also mark a return to competition for reigning Olympic all-around champion Sunisa Lee, who has battled a kidney-related health issue this year. Lee said she was hugely impressed with how Biles performed in training. "I was watching her and she looks amazing, she does not even look like she took like a year off, any time off," she said. "But again, she’s Simone, she’s just amazing, it’s really cool to be competing alongside her and just to have her there if I needed to talk or anything," she said. Biles had first mentioned she wanted to return during a dinner at a Mexican restaurant in March, Landi said, and then ramped up her efforts after her wedding in May. "I would say it's after her wedding once everything was over, that we saw a shift in her training and commitment to being back," she said. Once back to work, Landi said she realized that Biles's skill-set remained solid despite the time away from the sport. "She could do everything that she could do before," Landi said. "I think we just used the routines... to make it as mentally and physically comfortable as she could handle." Biles has said that in Tokyo she felt as if she had the "weight of the world on my shoulders." She said her issues had been due to an attack of what gymnasts call the "twisties" -- where athletes become disoriented and lose their sense of where they are in the air at a given moment, leaving them at risk of injury when they land. She eventually returned for the balance beam final, opting for a less ambitious routine than usual that earned a bronze medal. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

USA gymnast Simone Biles prepares for return for the first time since Tokyo Games

US gymnastics star Simone Biles&nbsp;is set to make her first competitive appearance since the Tokyo Olympics after entering the US Classic, USA Gymnastics announced on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The August 4-5 competition would be her first since the four-time Olympic&nbsp;gold medallist withdrew from most of her events in Tokyo in 2021 with mental health and safety concerns.

"Registration...does not guarantee participation," USA Gymnastics warned in the statement.&nbsp;

"Every athlete is at a different place in their season and career, and we will support each of them, wherever they are in their journey," said USA Gymnastics chief programmes officer Stefanie Korepin.

In 2016, Biles won four Olympic gold medals at Rio, taking the team, vault and floor exercise titles plus a balance beam bronze.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wimbledon-2023-ankita-raina-indias-only-singles-player-at-event-bows-out-with-a-loss-in-qualifiers-609611">Wimbledon 2023: Ankita Raina, India’s only singles player at event, bows out with a loss in qualifiers</a>

She entered the Covid-delayed Tokyo Olympics as a heavy favourite but struggled with a loss of air balance awareness, ending up with a team silver medal and a bronze in balance beam.

She has won 25 world championships medals, 19 of them gold, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Joe Biden in 2022.

She married NFL Houston Texans safety Jonathan Owens in April.&nbsp;

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US gymnastics star Simone Biles is set to make her first competitive appearance since the Tokyo Olympics after entering the US Classic, USA Gymnastics announced on Wednesday.

US gymnastics star Simone Biles is set to make her first competitive appearance since the Tokyo Olympics after entering the US Classic, USA Gymnastics announced on Wednesday. The August 4-5 competition would be her first since the four-time Olympic gold medallist withdrew from most of her events in Tokyo in 2021 with mental health and safety concerns. "Registration...does not guarantee participation," USA Gymnastics warned in the statement. "Every athlete is at a different place in their season and career, and we will support each of them, wherever they are in their journey," said USA Gymnastics chief programmes officer Stefanie Korepin. In 2016, Biles won four Olympic gold medals at Rio, taking the team, vault and floor exercise titles plus a balance beam bronze. ALSO READ | Wimbledon 2023: Ankita Raina, India’s only singles player at event, bows out with a loss in qualifiers She entered the Covid-delayed Tokyo Olympics as a heavy favourite but struggled with a loss of air balance awareness, ending up with a team silver medal and a bronze in balance beam. She has won 25 world championships medals, 19 of them gold, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Joe Biden in 2022. She married NFL Houston Texans safety Jonathan Owens in April. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Simone Biles set to return to competition in August: USA Gymnastics

Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles is set to make her comeback in August after her Tokyo Olympics campaign was curtailed due to mental health and safety considerations.

Star gymnast Simone Biles poised for August return to competition

Gymnastics star&nbsp;Simone&nbsp;Biles, actor Denzel Washington and the late tech visionary Steve Jobs have been named as recipients of America's highest civilian honour, the White House said Friday. President Joe Biden designated 17 Americans to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, three of them posthumous.

The White House said the medal recognises "exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors." Among the recipients is Megan Rapinoe, the Olympic gold medalist soccer star, two-time Women's World Cup champion and outspoken advocate on equality, race and LGBTQ issues.

Ahead of a ceremony on July 7, the White House said those honored had "overcome significant obstacles... and acted with bravery to drive change in their communities -- &nbsp;and across the world -- while blazing trails for generations to come."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/swimmer-mary-sophie-harvey-makes-heads-turn-reveals-she-was-drugged-on-last-night-of-world-cships-495477">Swimmer Mary-Sophie Harvey makes heads turn, reveals she was drugged on last night of World C'ships</a>

One posthumous recipient this year is John McCain, a one-time Republican presidential nominee, long-time senator from Arizona, and Vietnam War veteran who won a Purple Heart.

Previous winners of the presidential medal include the basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Motown singer Diana Ross and the actor Robert De Niro.

Gymnastics star Simone Biles, actor Denzel Washington and the late tech visionary Steve Jobs have been named as recipients of America's highest civilian honour, the White House said Friday.

Gymnastics star Simone Biles, actor Denzel Washington and the late tech visionary Steve Jobs have been named as recipients of America's highest civilian honour, the White House said Friday. President Joe Biden designated 17 Americans to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, three of them posthumous. The White House said the medal recognises "exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors." Among the recipients is Megan Rapinoe, the Olympic gold medalist soccer star, two-time Women's World Cup champion and outspoken advocate on equality, race and LGBTQ issues. Ahead of a ceremony on July 7, the White House said those honored had "overcome significant obstacles... and acted with bravery to drive change in their communities -- and across the world -- while blazing trails for generations to come." ALSO READ | Swimmer Mary-Sophie Harvey makes heads turn, reveals she was drugged on last night of World C'ships One posthumous recipient this year is John McCain, a one-time Republican presidential nominee, long-time senator from Arizona, and Vietnam War veteran who won a Purple Heart. Previous winners of the presidential medal include the basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Motown singer Diana Ross and the actor Robert De Niro.

Gymnastics star Simone Biles among winners of top US honour

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