Simone Biles is back at it again. This weekend at the 2023 Xfinity US Gymnastics Championships, the 26-year-old took home gold in the all-around – a decade after her first time winning the competition – becoming the first gymnast to win eight US all-around titles as well as the oldest woman ever to win the all-around.
In addition to the all-around, the seven-time Olympic medalist also took home the top spot in balance beam and floor exercise. Following her with silver and bronze in the all-around were Shi Jones (who also won the uneven bar event) and Leanne Wong, respectively.
This was Biles’s second competition in her official return to gymnastics; before the US Classic earlier this month, she hadn’t competed since the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where she dealt with the “twisties” and withdrew from the competition. The competition was also a key event in the lead-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics happening next summer.
At 26 years old, Biles is still young, but a veteran as far as elite gymnastics is concerned, where athletes usually retire in their late teens and early 20s. In fact, in 2021, during the Tokyo Olympics, the median age of Olympic gymnasts was in the 20s for the first time since 1968, according to Olympics.com.
But her many years of competing seem to have brought her plenty of wisdom. In a press conference after the championships, Biles told reporters that she’s keeping her goals to herself this time around. “I think, personal goals and stuff, sometimes it’s OK to keep it to ourselves, just so that nobody can throw it in your face . . . I’m kind of at the age where it’s like, yo, just let me be in peace. One thing at a time.”
Biles seems to be in good spirits upon her return, and so do her fans. They packed the stadium for this weekend’s competition with “GOAT” signs to cheer her on. One young fan even told The Guardian that watching Biles compete is like a Swiftie attending The Eras Tour. “This is like a Taylor Swift concert but for Simone,” Samantha Brady, 10, told The Guardian. “She’s literally my idol.”
Bile’s standout floor routine – which earned her a whopping score of 15.400 – was a big part of her win. Watch it below to see the magic for yourself.
Related: Suni Lee’s Pre-Competition Routine Includes a Dreamy Starbucks Order, Naps, and SZA
