Anyone, that is, except Spring’s little colossus and her spectacular 15.966. She was the first reigning world champion to win the Olympic all-around gold since Ukraine’s Lilia Podkopayeva in 1996. “It’s rewarding, but I think we’ll get used to it”. Nile Wilson of Great Britain earned bronze. Biles’ peers were Larisa Latynina, Agnes Keleti, Vera Caslavska and Romania’s Ecaterina Szabo, the last of the only other female gymnasts to win four golds in a single Olympics, in 1984.
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The ear-to-ear grin, which had disappeared on Monday after she ended up with bronze on the beam, was back on show again as she became the first woman in 32 years, and fifth overall, to win four golds at a single Games. For a moment, set aside Biles’ scores.
“I saw Becky at the finish line so I was thinking that I had silver, but then I saw the screen and there was a “one” before my name – that was ahhhhh, yeah insane”, added the new champion. I don’t even consider myself competing against her.
“She’s just in another level”.
“Guys come on, go easy on me”, Biles said.
As for what comes next – besides the stardom that awaits back in the U.S. – Biles is unsure. The two met up up backstage Tuesday, following Biles’ historic run. Frankly, she was all over the mat.
“He tops everybody!” she gushed.
Biles is the proud owner of a life-sized cardboard cutout of the Hollywood star that is proudly displayed in her room, which she unashamedly admits to kissing it on the cheek at times.
Will Biles still have the drive to put herself through more long hours in the gym after she’s already accomplished so much? Two gymnasts in the vault – Uzbekistan’s Oksana Chusovitina and India’s Dipa Karmakar – attempted a risky move called the “Produnova”, after Yelena Produnova, the Russian gymnast who invented it. Ellen asked, “Is it just ’cause he’s gorgeous, is that why you like him?”
During their meeting Biles said she was on “Cloud 9”. “That was a big thing for her”, Boorman said. Their women’s soccer team and top-ranked beach volleyball duo were eliminated from the Olympics, but a lightweight boxer gave the host nation a lift with a stirring victory in his gold medal bout. Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. The two had flirted online, but everything got real in Rio.
CLUTCH CROATIAN: Sandra Perkovic escaped early elimination twice in as many days before producing last-ditch throws to win the women’s discus.
Team Coordinator Marta Karolyi (R) hugs Gabrielle Douglas (USA) of USA (Gabby Douglas), Alexandra Raisman (USA) of USA (Aly Raisman), Laurie Hernandez (USA) of USA, Simone Biles (USA) of USA and Madison Kocian (USA) of USA during the women’s qualifications.
Cries of “oohs” and “aahs” accompanied each of her complex tumbling passes, she drew gasps of admiration as she balanced her entire body weight on her right toes while spinning around twice and had the audience roaring their approval as she bounced her bottom off the floor to strike her final pose.
The two women who beat her at the 2012 junior nationals retired from elite gymnastics having never competed at a world championships.
Only her “sister” is better than her at what she does. The notion astounds even Biles.
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Everywhere else, she was as good as promised. “I’m going out very happy, very satisfied”. Maybe it was the adrenaline, but for now Tokyo 2020 remains in play. “I don’t really know what happened”, said the Texan. If Biles exits, here’s betting on it.
