Simone Biles led the United States women’s gymnastics team to their seventh consecutive team title at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Antwerp.
Simone Biles's gold medal at the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships marks the seventh consecutive world championship victory for the U.S. team and the 26th world medal for Biles. https://t.co/3fNOTjd42Z
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 5, 2023
Biles, the 26-year-old gymnastics icon, drove her team to victory with an extraordinary floor routine, earning a score of 15.166, contributing to their overall score of 167.729. This event marked Biles’ return to international competition after a two-year hiatus during which she focused on her mental health. She began her remarkable gymnastics journey a decade ago in Antwerp, winning her first world all-around title at just 16.
The US team struggled early on in the competition. Joscelyn Roberson suffered an injury during the warm-up on the first apparatus, forcing her to withdraw from the competition. Jessica Gadirova also faced challenges when she fell during her Cheng vault. The unexpected injury and mistake placed additional pressure on the team, requiring the athletes to adjust their strategy and rely on their depth to maintain their competitive edge. The US team rallied together; Simone Biles, in particular, delivered a stellar performance during her closing floor routine, earning the highest score of the competition (15.166).
“We have throughout this year had the most grit, courage and fight, especially after everything that transpired out on the floor,” said Biles about her team.
The US fended off a strong challenge from Brazil; they claimed the silver medal with 165.530 points, led by 24-year-old Rebeca Andrade. The French team secured bronze with a score of 164.064, thanks to the remarkable routines of athletes like Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos, Biles’ training partner in the United States.
Exactly 10 years ago today in Antwerp, Simone Biles won her 1st world gold medal and today, once again in Antwerp, she won her 20th 🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/eFTQswrJTc
— jamie (@jordynsleftbrow) October 4, 2023
Biles now boasts 25 world medals, the most in gymnastics history, and seven Olympic medals. Her remarkable skills have even led to five gymnastic moves being named after her, including the recently achieved Yurchenko double pike, now dubbed the Biles II. Following the first of her six finals, Biles has now tied Vitaly Scherbo’s record of 33 medals from the Olympic and world championships. Biles, a five-time global team champion, has taken home the most medals for a female team in history.
The U.S. women’s team have won gold in the team event at every world championship that included a team competition since 2011.