PARIS: Simone Biles' sixth Olympic gold medal hangs around her neck, and so does a shiny little goatee – just a reminder to the gymnast who was considered the greatest of all time that she really is. he is involved in the world of sports.
“I was like, OK, if it goes well, we'll do the goat chain,” Biles said after winning a tight final for her second gold medal at the Paris Games.
“I know people are going to be crazy about it, but at the end of the day, it's crazy that I'm in the conversation about the greatest athletes, because I still think it's Simone Biles from Spring, Texas, who love. perverted.”
Biles, who pushed the limits of her sport en route to claiming 39 world and Olympic medals — 29 of them gold — is unbeaten in all-around competition since in 2013 — when he won his first world title. title.
She won four gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics and looked poised to burnish her Olympic legacy in Tokyo three years ago before withdrawing from most of her events after being beaten up by fellow gymnasts known as “twisties ” he said.
“It's been eight years,” he said of the gap between his Olympic gold. “That's incredible. I was a bit naive at the time. Because of this, I appreciate my work even more. “
Biles, who said she wasn't sure immediately after Tokyo if she would return to the world stage, credits Cecile and coach Laurent Landi, her family and her willingness to work diligently through the issues. – health, with the ability to recover. coming back from an absence of about two years and looking better than ever.
She needed all her mental strength after a disappointing error on the uneven bars left her in third place midway through the finals, although she was only .267 after leader and silver medalist Rebeca Andrade of Brazil.
“I was a little disappointed with my performance on bars,” Biles said. “I don't usually roll like that.
“I'm not the best pioneer. I'm not like Suni (Lee) or Kaylia (Nemour), but, like, I can jump bars, you know?
After a few minutes to “reenergize and refocus,” Biles performed a powerful routine to regain the top spot, sealing the victory with another sparkling, high-flying routine.
“I couldn't believe I did it,” Biles said, adding that she was looking forward to three more finals — vault, beam and all-around.
“It's time to be happy and the hardships are over,” he laughed.
And just in case he needs it, he says, in his room in the athlete's village he has a toy goat “to get a reminder like 'You can go out there, you can do it. You've done it before, so let's go.'”
