Simone Biles makes history and confirms GOAT status after leading Team USA gymnastics to Olympics gold
GYMNASTICS star Simone Biles is back on top, helping Team USA get the gold medal in the Paris Olympics team final.
The 23-time world champion shrugged off a calf injury to claim her fifth Olympic victory on Tuesday.
Team USA finished ahead of Italy and Brazil with a score of 171.296.
They were cheered on by US swimming legend Michael Phelps, and tennis GOAT Serena Williams during the finals.
Biles, 27, received a roaring ovation from the crowd any time she stepped on the podium, sporting her leotard bedazzled with 10,000 Swarovski crystals.
Among those screaming and clapping was her husband, NFL safety Jonathan Owens, who held an American flag in his hands.
The Ohio-born star tasted Olympic glory just three years after her heartbreak at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Biles further cemented her legacy as one of the greatest athletes of all time, moving up to the top five among gymnasts with the most Olympic golds.
She also became the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history with eight medals, surpassing USA great Shannon Miller.
“Just one more gymnast to go,” the arena announcer said before Biles started her floor routine to seal the deal. “Who could that be?”
Biles then put on an electric display despite taking a couple of steps out of bounds on one of her landings.
She still received 14.666 for her effort, the second-highest score on the floor with Team USA needing only 8.864 to claim the gold.
And fans were in awe.
“Simone Biles with the most amazing floor exercise,” one posted on X.
“Simone Biles is insane. Makes everything look so easy,” another added.
“Simone Biles the legend you are!!!” a third said.
'Mother hen' Biles
Simone Biles' first coach Aimee Boorman exclusively told The U.S. Sun that she thinks Biles will be spurred by a new role this year.
“Having younger teammates benefits her because she has stepped in as the mother hen figure,” said Aimee.
“And so she has to tell them to stay calm. You’ve got this. You’re prepared. And so as she’s saying it, she’s also hearing it.
“You always have tiny kids that come into the gym, but they’re never ripped like Simone was,” she said.
“I know she was very self-conscious about it growing up. But from a coaching perspective, it was great.
“I didn’t think that Simone would be a multi gold medal athlete straight away.
“But she did stand out because she was very tiny, but very muscular.”
Just like that, the US gymnasts avenged their tough loss from Tokyo when they were bested by the Russian Olympic Committee.
During that final three years ago, Biles withdrew from the event after scoring her lowest-ever Olympic vault score of 13.766.
The American star later explained she struggled with her mental health at the time.
Heading to Paris this year, Biles vowed to reclaim the gold.
“This is definitely our redemption tour,” Biles said during the US Olympic trials.
“I feel like we all have more to give… I feel like we have a lot of weight on our shoulders to go out there and prove that we’re better athletes, we’re more mature, we’re smarter, we’re more consistent.”
Biles proved she was on top of her game in the qualifying, performing the Biles II vault — the Yurchenko double pike — for a score of 15.800.
Considering the stakes, she opted for a Cheng vault instead on vault in the finals.