Biles was once again at her unparalleled best at the Rio Summer Games on Thursday with a winning score of 62.198 that left her a gaping two points clear of fellow American Aly Raisman, and almost four points ahead of bronze medalist Aliya Mustafina of Russian Federation. The Post explains that Harrison had been sexually abused by her family friend and coach, Daniel Doyle, starting when she was just 13 and it continued for three years.
Advertisement
Given that she is now 19 one can not be certain that we’ll see her at the next Olympics, given that 23 is pretty much over the hill when it comes to gymnastics, but whether she turns up or not she seems to have GOAT locked down. Biles hit her end pose to another round of thunderous applause.
She led a United States 1-2 ahead of Aly Raisman with Russia’s Aliya Mustafina taking her second straight Games all-around bronze. “To manage that and go on to play the way I did is really pleasing and a big confidence boost”.
“It was a very heartbreaking but I just used it for motivation every single day in the gym”, Raisman said Friday.
Biles ended up beating Raisman by 2.1 points; however, their wins marked only the second time that two US gymnasts have finished 1-2 in an Olympic all-around. Running off the floor, I thought I had done enough, but you never know. Boorman has been by her side from the beginning and it was a moment that coach and prodigy were able to share together. It’s been my career and my passion and what I love to do.
Throughout it all, Biles has maintained that she’s “just Simone”, not a celebrity. Raisman won the silver medal, so they truly were competing for the pinnacle of recognition in their sport. “One little thing and you’re off”, Raisman told NPR. She is not the “next fill-in-the-blank” athlete or the women’s version of whomever. “It is for some of the African-Americans who have come before me”, she said giving a nod to former Olympians Maritza Correia and Cullen Jones.
Biles still has three more chances at grabbing some individual hardware. She will compete in the finals of the vault, balance beam and floor exercise.
Simone Biles took the floor with a smile that had a hint of mischievousness in it.
For more of PEOPLE’s Olympic coverage, pick up our collector’s edition, The Best of the Games, on sale now.
Advertisement
In the men’s 200 meter individual medley, Michael Phelps versus Ryan Lochte in one of sports’ greatest rivalries.
