After a two-year competitive hiatus, Simone Biles, 26, has soared the U.S. women’s gymnastics team to their seventh consecutive world championship gold, marking her 20th gold at the world championships. This feat was achieved at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium.
This victory became crucial after teammate Joscelyn Roberson’s unfortunate injury during warmups. Leanne Wong stepped up for Roberson, joining the finals team which also included Skye Blakely and Shilese Jones.
Biles demonstrated brilliance, recording impressive scores across the board and captivating audiences with her spectacular final floor routine, ensuring Team USA’s dominance with a total score of 167.729. Following closely were Brazil with a historic silver and France securing bronze.
USA Gymnastics celebrated this momentous achievement on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, highlighting the tension and historic moments of the event.
Biles’ journey to this victory wasn’t without challenges. After the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she took a break to prioritize her mental well-being, especially after confronting the “twists” issue that impacted her performance. However, her bronze win in the balance beam event was a testament to her resilience.
As she gears up for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Biles is on the verge of setting an unprecedented record. With a potential 34th medal win, she could become the most decorated gymnast ever. “Every step towards Paris 2024 is carefully planned. We’re ensuring that both my mental and physical health are in sync,” Biles shared with NBC.