Simone Biles Wins Gold At 2024 Paris Olympics All-Around Finals
Simone Biles has done it again.
On Thursday (Aug. 1) the gymnast came in first place, taking the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the women’s gymnastics all-around finals. Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade took silver while Team USA’s Sunisa Lee collected bronze in the highly competitive event.
According to the Associated Press, Biles edged out Andrade by just over a point with a final score of 59.131, one of the closest calls she has experienced at any international event. Andrade’s final score totaled 57.932.
With the win, at 27-years-old Biles became the oldest woman to win the all-around finals since 30-year-old Maria Gorokhovskaya of the Soviet Union won the first-ever Olympic all-around in Melbourne in 1952. Additionally, she joins Larisa Latynina of the Soviet Union and Vera Caslavska of Czechoslovakia as the only women to become two-time Olympic champions.
Earning the gold also amplifies Biles’ historic win with Team USA on Tuesday where she counted her eighth Olympic medal, becoming the most decorated American gymnast in the history of the Olympics. She had already stood as the most decorated gymnast in history from any country if you include world championship medals.
After the win, Biles told reporters that she does not read too deeply into these statistics, per ESPN.
“I just go out here and do what I’m supposed to and I’m doing what I love and enjoying it,” she explained. “So that’s really all that matters to me. Yes, it’s amazing now that I hear it, but I don’t think I’ll truly understand the depth of it until I walk away from the sport.”
Watch Simone Biles’ winning performance below.
The routine that sealed GOLD! pic.twitter.com/HCZumGWENc https://t.co/FOGfjHLNQB
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) August 1, 2024