Congratulations are in order for Simone Biles who broke the record for most all-around titles for a man or woman at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships.
Ten years after she first leaped to the top as a 16-year-old, the now 26-year-old athlete posted an all-around two-day total of 118.450 - which was four points clear of runner-up Shilese Jones who secured the silver medal.
Not only did Biles break Alfred Jochim’s record of seven all-around golds - which was set 90 years ago in 1933 - but she also became the oldest woman to ever succeed in the event.
Watch the historic moment below:The four-time Olympic gold medallist received a standing ovation after her sensational floor exercise, which accumulated her 15.400.
Her 14.850 on the Cheng vault was also the most elevated of the night and so was the 14.8 she earned on the beam. Her combined total of 118.450 beat Jones by 3.9 points.
Biles spoke about her outstanding victory in an interview with NBC News, describing it as "special" and adding: "I've been doing it for so long, I feel like I don’t think about numbers, I think about my performance. And I think, overall, I hit eight for eight. I guess it’s a lucky number this year."
While the young athlete was already the most decorated gymnast in US history heading into the four-day event, she remained motivated to continue collecting medals - expressing gratitude to her support system for pushing her forward.
"It’s really amazing. Everybody in here believes in me," she continued. "So I just need to start believing in myself a little bit more, but it feels amazing and I love the fans, I love the crowd. It was really special."
Furthermore, this weekend's victory has been nothing short of remarkable for Biles, who revealed that she was suffering from "twisties" after pulling out of multiple events at the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2021.
According to the Olympics page, twisties are a mental phenomenon for gymnasts who can’t find the correct positions midair during routines, which is a clear risk and hindrance.
Biles rose to the top of the gymnastics world almost 10 years ago as a teenage prodigy after earning her first world title at the 2013 championships in Antwerp.
Since then, she has won 25 medals at world championships, including 18 golds - higher than any men's or women's gymnasts in sports history.
However, the gymnast has remained quiet about whether she will take part in next year's Paris Olympics, telling NBC News: "I like to keep them personal just so that I know what I am aiming for.
"I'm trying to move a little bit differently this year than I have in the past. So I think it’s working so far, so I’m gonna keep it a little bit secretive," she concluded.
Congratulations to Simone Biles!
