Simone Biles has won her second Olympic all-around gymnastics title, beating Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade in a close competition this morning.
Biles scored a total of 59.131, which was just over one point more than Andrade’s score of 57.932. This victory marked one of the closest calls for Biles in a major international event. Sunisa Lee, who won gold in Tokyo, earned the bronze medal, overcoming health challenges in the past year.
Even though Simone Biles faced difficulties during her performance on the uneven bars, she recovered strongly.
She performed a nearly flawless routine on the balance beam, earning the highest score of the night among the finalists. Andrade needed an exceptional floor routine to surpass Biles, but Biles’ performance, set to music by Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, was unmatched.
Biles’ victory adds to her incredible career, making her the third woman to become a two-time Olympic champion in gymnastics, alongside Larisa Latynina and Vera Caslavska.
At 27 years old, she is also the oldest woman to win the Olympic all-around title since 1952. This win marks her sixth gold medal and ninth overall in her career, tying with Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci.
As the competition continues, Biles is set to participate in three more event finals. Her accomplishments and ongoing success are putting her in the conversation as possibly the greatest American Olympian ever.
