Forget the hype. Simone Biles is immune to all of it. “I wasn’t anxious… I was expecting her to hit the beam at her best and do her very good floor routine”. “I don’t see anyone else win three world championships and an Olympic title”. And at only 19 years old, it’s likely she will only get better!
Advertisement
Gold medallist United States’ Simone Biles, center, and silver medallist United States’ Aly Raisman, left, wave to the audience, followed by Bronze medallist Russia’s Aliya Mustafina, right, during the medal ceremony for the artistic gymnastics women’s individual all-around final at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016.
Simone Biles joins the ranks of Gabby Douglas, Nastia Liukin and Carly Patterson. Her margin of victory was almost double the largest she’s had in winning the major worldwide all-around competition each year.
“I think that the U.S. team is now very strong and practically we can not reach up to this level”, Mustafina said.
“I feel like I’m better now than I was in 2012”, Raisman said Thursday after taking silver in the all-around.
“I made myself a little angry before beam”, Raisman said. Didn’t she know that’s ancient in the sport of gymnastics? I had to focus. “I felt every emotion at once”. “I was very proud”. She may be retiring from the sport, but Harrison, a former sparring partner with Ronda Rousey, may have other career plans.
In 2013, she shined bright with all-around gold at the U.S P&G Championship and became the first African American Woman to win the all-around gold medal at the World Championship.
“It’s awesome to be recognised for all of this success, (but) I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps, I’m the first Simone Biles”. On Thursday, she became the second American to win gold, successfully defending her title in the 78 kg weight class at Rio’s Olympic Park.
“I knew Simone was going to win and I was just hoping that I would be able to get second”, Raisman added. It’s not a coincidence. Her longtime coach, Aimee Boorman, was also wiping away tears.
Although Mustafina took a small lead through two rotations, it was a mirage.
A larger-than-life image of the four-foot-nine world champion gymnast, Simone Biles, was projected onto a screen in the World Champions Centre, the flashy, new gymnastics training center in Spring where the hometown athlete trains.
Biles surged on front again with 15.433 on the beam as Mustafina dropped back after dropping back after errors.
“I’m not a celebrity”.
“I’m very excited and relieved, I’ve finally done it”, Biles said after her gold medal performance.
And despite a disappointing worlds in October the reigning Olympic floor champion was the only gymnast to hit all her routines at the USA championships and trials. She tied for third with Mustafina in the all-around at London four years ago. This time, the 22-year-old team captain the Americans call “grandma” was well ahead.
Advertisement
Cheers erupted from the crowd anytime Biles and her teammate Aly Raisman performed. I’m sure most people don’t go into it thinking they can beat Usain Bolt, so it’s kind of the same thing. It’s important to fuel yourself with some devastating things, but I also realized that if I daydream about doing well and having this silver medal, it’s more motivating than focusing on the negatives.
