Simone Biles came to the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships with a powerful statement to make. Two years ago at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Biles had to step out of the competition after suffering from the “twisties,” a mental block many gymnasts face. After two years without international competition, many doubted Biles’s ability to ever be the gymnast she once was. However, these doubts were put to rest when Biles not only competed at the 2023 World Championships but also won her 6th World all-around title along with four other medals.
During the competition, Biles competed well in all four events: balance beam, floor, vault, and uneven bars. She managed to win gold on beam and floor, while securing silver on vault and finishing 5th on bars, giving her the all-around gold medal. On vault, Biles also competed in the Yurchenko Double Pike Vault for the first time in history, which will now be named “Biles II” in her honor.
Aside from competing individually, she also led the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team to their 7th consecutive overall title at the World Championships. With her 27th career world medal, Biles surpassed the record for the most World Championship and Olympic medals combined, making her the most decorated gymnast in history.
Among young gymnasts, Biles is a prominent role model for many. Not only does she impress the judges while competing, but she also advocates for athletes struggling with mental health. After her mental health struggles with the “twisties” in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the large media presence on Biles added to the high pressure she faced to perform well. Many social media platforms even gave her backlash for talking about mental health and “abandoning her team” by stepping back.
However, this setback in 2021 didn’t stop Biles from returning to excellence on the bars and beams. In an interview on the 2023 World Championships, Biles told the BBC that, “I’m very proud. Especially after the year I had after Tokyo, coming back and just being comfortable and confident in my routines. I couldn’t ask for more.”
The resilience Biles has shown throughout these past few years has been remarkable, especially as it has shed a new light on the mental health struggles athletes face. In an interview with PBS, Christine Brennan, USA Today Sports Columnist, commented on the fact that Biles “[talked] openly about something that even, what, 10, 15 years ago, maybe even five years ago, athletes would have been reticent to discuss, the issue of mental health and needing help, wanting to talk to someone about that.”
If one thing is clear, it’s that Simone Biles isn’t going anywhere. Ever since winning her first gold medal at the World Championships 10 years ago, she has displayed her incredible skills time and time again. As Biles looks ahead after the 2023 World Championships, competitions such as the 2024 Paris Olympics present opportunities to further solidify her position as the GOAT of gymnastics.
