Even the G.O.A.T of gymnastics, Simone Biles, isn’t immune to fear. In a cruel twist of fate, the Tokyo Olympics turned into a nightmare for the then-24-year-old superstar. Struck by the dreaded “twisties”—a gymnast’s worst enemy, where mid-air control is lost—Biles was forced to step back from nearly all her events, including the vault final. Her Olympic dreams were shattered, but in the back of her mind, she was already plotting her comeback.
Fast forward to 2024: Biles returned to the Olympic stage in Paris, determined not just to compete but to dominate. Now 27, she wasn’t just there to participate—she was there to win. And win she did, nailing the ‘Biles II’ in the vault final and securing yet another gold for Team USA. The Paris Olympics weren’t just a comeback; they were a statement. With four medals in hand, including three golds, Biles brought her Olympic tally to a jaw-dropping 11.
As the world watched in awe, Biles hinted that Paris might have been her swan song. When asked if this would be her last Olympic appearance, she didn’t entirely close the door. “Is this my last? Definitely the Yurchenko double pike. I mean, I kind of nailed that one. Never say never. The next Olympics is at home. So you just never know,” she said with a smile, leaving just a crack open for a possible return in 2028. But her words also hinted at the peace she’s found with possibly moving on, especially as she opened up about a lingering fear that still occupies her mind! And now she’s done it again!
Simone Biles took to social media and shared her thoughts on Threads to share a rare moment of vulnerability. She wrote, “Getting up and not having to think about doing a Yurchenko double pike is a blessing.” Coming from a gymnast who’s synonymous with perfection, it’s a candid peek into the pressures she’s faced. After years of pushing her body and mind to the brink, Biles is now contemplating a life where defying gravity isn’t on her daily to-do list.
The whole nation beams with pride at Biles’ eponymous vault, and the world watches in awe as she nails the six-second Yurchenko Double Pike. But here’s what many don’t realize: ‘Biles II’ is the toughest vault in women’s gymnastics. Back in 2021, Biles first pulled off the double pike Yurchenko in competition, gearing up to repeat it in Tokyo for Olympic gold—until everything unraveled!
The Yurchenko vault itself, named after Soviet gymnastics legend Natalie Yurchenko, is a beast. It demands a round-off onto the springboard, followed by a back handspring leading into the vault—zero room for error. Then Biles came along and added the ‘double,’ meaning she takes two flips in the air. And ‘pike’ refers to the body’s position during the jump, where the legs stay straight and the body folds—a move that significantly ups the difficulty score.
Biles’ setback in Tokyo likely fueled the fear she’s had about the Yurchenko Double Pike. But in 2024, she’s mastered it. The momentum she generates is so powerful that she often takes a step or two on landing. This vault, officially named after Simone Biles when she landed it at an international competition in 2023, is the highest-scoring vault in women’s gymnastics with a difficulty value of 6.4 points. That extra difficulty helps offset any fractions of a point lost from those tiny extra steps! But judging by her latest post, it seems the queen of American gymnastics might be putting this move on ice—especially as Simone Biles gears up for her Gold Over America Tour!
Simone Biles is set to leap from gold to millions on her GOAT Tour!
With seven Olympic golds under her belt, Simone Biles is gearing up for a new adventure: the Gold Over America Tour. Kicking off soon, this 30-day spectacle across Cleveland will see Biles leading the gold medal-winning women’s gymnastics team, along with an all-star lineup including Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, Hezly Rivera, and more. Even some fan favorites who didn’t make it to Paris, like Joscelyn Roberson and Katelyn Ohashi, are joining the fun. Sadly, Sunisa Lee and Team USA’s ‘Clark Kent,’ Stephen Nedoroscik, won’t be on the roster.
The tour is set to be a dazzling mix of sports and entertainment—think a gymnastics concert—where gymnasts showcase their athletic brilliance while delivering powerful messages of hope, strength, and resilience. Back in 2021, this tour was a smash hit—35 shows in 32 cities, over 182,000 tickets sold, and a whopping $19.3 million in the bank.
