U.S. gymnast Simone Biles dazzled the crowd by securing her seventh Olympic gold medal and third of the Paris Games during the women’s vault final on Saturday.
Biles achieved an impressive average score of 15.300 with her signature Yurchenko double pike—a routine so challenging that no other female gymnast has attempted it. With a solid landing, she essentially locked in the gold, repeating her triumph from the 2016 Rio Games.
Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade took home the silver, while American Jade Carey claimed the bronze.
Just three years prior, Biles’ gymnastics future was uncertain after she withdrew from the Tokyo Games due to mental health issues. Fast forward to now, and she’s back on top, boasting 10 Olympic medals, which is tied for the third most among female gymnasts.
“Not many people in the world can do it to this level, so once we’re out here, the floor is our stage. It feels so freeing for us. We’re in our element, having fun and doing what we love,” Biles shared with reporters in Paris.
According to the Associated Press, the vault competition was almost a done deal as soon as Biles landed her Yurchenko double pike. Though her right foot grazed the out-of-bounds line, the judges only deducted a tenth of a point, leaving her with a formidable score of 15.700. She simply needed to play it safe on her second vault—and she executed a near-perfect Cheng, which features a complex series of twists and somersaults, scoring 14.900.
The remaining competitors were left vying for second place.
Reuters reported that Biles’ coach, Laurent Landi, was visibly ecstatic, celebrating with an enthusiastic air punch as it became clear that Biles had secured her victory.
At 27, Biles joins gymnastics legend Vera Casalavska from Czechoslovakia as the only woman to win the vault event twice, with Casalavska accomplishing the feat in 1964 and 1968.
During the press conference following her win, Biles was asked if this would be her final vault performance. “Is this my last? Definitely the Yurchenko double pike. I mean, I kind of nailed that one,” she remarked. However, she added, “Never say never. The next Olympics is at home. So you just never know.”
Looking ahead, the 2028 Olympics will take place in Los Angeles.