Men's gymnasts compete in up to eight events at the world championships, while women compete in only six, a fact that has made Biles' record-setting medal count all the more impressive
Image: Doug Mills/The New York Times
Simone Biles on Sunday became the most decorated gymnast in world championship history, winning gold medals in the balance beam and the floor exercise to increase her career medal total in the championships to 25.
The record medal count — one more than the previous high, held for more than two decades by Vitaly Scherbo of Belarus — strengthened the case of those who already consider Biles, at 22, to be the greatest gymnast of all time.
“I can’t be more thrilled with the performance that I put out at this world championships,” Biles said. But she seemed surprisingly nonchalant about breaking a career record that had stood for two decades. “I’m not a number person.”
Biles’ victory in the floor exercise was not a surprise; she had been favored to win the event and several others. But she jumped out of her seat when she saw her score on the balance beam, which has proved far more challenging for her in recent years. She had to grab the beam to keep her balance in two recent major finals, at the Rio Olympic Games and at last year’s worlds, and settled for the bronze each time.
Her milestone extended a ruthless run of efficiency at the world championships last week in Stuttgart, Germany. On Tuesday, Biles led the American women to their fifth consecutive gold medal in the team competition, becoming the most decorated woman, with 21 career medals. Two days later, she steamrollered her rivals in the all-around event, cruising to a first-place finish by an impressive margin of 2.1 points. On Saturday, she tied Scherbo by claiming the gold in the vault. She won the floor exercise by a full point.
©2019 New York Times News Service