Gymnast Simone Biles made history on Sunday, clinching her eighth all-around title at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships a decade after she first took home the gold as a teenager. Her win breaks the record she had previously shared with gymnast Alfred Jochim, who earned his seventh all-around gold medal 90 years ago, according to CNN.
At 26, Biles is the oldest woman to ever win the championships.
“I think it feels really special,” Biles told NBC. “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 (routines). … I guess it’s a lucky number this year.”
Biles’s floor routine drew the rapt attention of not only the audience, but her competitors as well. Many rose to a standing ovation as Biles dominated each of her tumbling passes, according to the Associated Press. She went on to post a two-day all-around total of 118.40 points, nearly four points in front of silver medalist Shilese Jones and well ahead of gymnast Leanne Wong, who came in third.
Biles took a two-year break from gymnastics following the 2o2o Tokyo Olympics, where she suffered from the ‘twisties’ – a condition that causes gymnasts to lose spatial awareness and control of their bodies in the air – leading her to withdraw from the all-around, uneven bars, vault, and floor events.
She is scheduled to participate in the upcoming 2023 World Artistic Gymnastic Championships in Antwerp, Belgium late next month. However, Biles has not yet said whether she will compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics.
“I like to keep (my goals) personal just so that I know what I am aiming for,” Biles said. “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.”