Simone Biles clinches eighth national title with 2024 Olympics on the horizon
It's been a long time since the world last saw Simone Biles competing. The American gymnast took time off after her difficult experience at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she suffered from a condition known to gymnasts as "the twisties" and failed to compete in the women's team finals.
The "twisties" are a dangerous psychological phenomenon during which gymnasts lose their bearings in midair and struggle to differentiate the floor from the ceiling. They can interfere with all four apparatuses and lead to serious crashes and injuries. Imagine getting vertigo while plummeting upside-down toward a concrete curb. That's how it feels to get the "twisties" on the balance beam.
When Biles announced she'd be returning to high-level competition at the 2023 U.S. Women's Gymnastics Championships, many questioned her decision, wondering if the sport had passed her by in her absence.
But by the time Biles stepped up to deliver a near-flawless floor exercise to clinch the title, those questions were gone. Biles remains an awe-inspiring talent—and while she's coy about her future goals, all signs point to an Olympic return in Paris in 2024.
Biles is the only athlete in U.S. gymnastics history to win eight national titles. At age 26, Biles is also the oldest woman to become a champion. It's a staggering achievement, and it speaks to how Biles continues to shape gymnastics in her image—less than two decades ago, athletes were considered 'over the hill' in this sport at the ripe old age of 20.
Upon receiving her gold medal, Biles was bombarded with questions about the 2024 Olympics.
"Personal goals and stuff, I think sometimes it's okay to keep them to ourselves, just so that nobody can throw it in your face—'Oh well, this was your goal and you didn't hit it.' I'm kind of at the age where it's like, 'Yo, just let me be at peace,'" she said, laughing. "So, one thing at a time."
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