Biles triumphantly soared past Brazil's Rebeca Andrade by a hair's breadth, clinching the gold while Andrade settled for silver. Simone Biles, a gymnastic phenomenon, remains unparalleled, even when her performances aren't flawless. On a thrilling Thursday at the Paris Olympics' all-around final, Biles narrowly edged out Andrade, her total score of 59.131 barely surpassing Andrade's 57.932 in one of the tightest contests Biles has ever faced at a major international stage.
Amidst the drama, Sunisa Lee, the reigning Tokyo Olympic champion, defied adversity to clinch bronze. Despite battling multiple kidney ailments that cast doubt on her Games participation for over a year, Lee persevered.
As always, Biles' journey culminated in a familiar fashion – hugs and a golden glow, accompanied by a silver goat chain draped around the neck of the Greatest of All Time herself. "It's surreal to be mentioned among the 'Greatest of All Athletes' when I'm just Simone Biles from Spring, Texas, who loves to flip," she humbly quipped.
This victory marked the slimmest margin Biles has seen since capturing her third world championship title in 2015. From teenage prodigy to global icon, the 27-year-old continues to redefine gymnastics' boundaries, both in terms of skill and longevity. She joins an elite club of women who have won Olympic all-around gold twice, a feat last achieved decades ago.
Moreover, Biles stands as the oldest woman to secure this prestigious title since Maria Gorokhovskaya's groundbreaking victory in 1952. Yet, this sixth gold and ninth overall medal – mirroring the tally of legendary Nadia Comaneci, who watched from the star-studded audience that included the U.S. men's basketball team – didn't come without a fight.
On the uneven bars, her Achilles' heel among the four apparatus, Biles momentarily stumbled, miscalculating a transition and forcing a hasty recovery. This misstep dulled her momentum and briefly left her trailing Andrade.
But Biles rallied, delivering a near-perfect 14.566 on the balance beam, the highest score of the night among the 24 finalists. Meanwhile, Andrade's slightly easier routine was marred by a significant balance check, pushing her into second place as the floor exercise – Biles' forte – loomed.
Knowing she needed her best floor routine yet to catch up, Andrade fell short, stepping out of bounds at a crucial moment. This minor misstep created a gap that Biles capitalized on, securing her victory with a flourish. "I'm done competing against Rebeca," Biles joked, exhausted yet triumphant. "She's too close for comfort. I've never faced such a formidable opponent."
Amidst her routine, Biles wove in the tunes of pop icons Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, her 75-second set kicking off with Swift's anthemic "Ready For It?" and culminating in the most awe-inspiring tumbling sequence ever witnessed in women's gymnastics.
