Simone Biles has made history once again. She is now the most decorated U.S. Olympic gymnast after Team USA won gold at the Paris Olympics. This victory marks Biles’s eighth Olympic medal, surpassing the record she shared with Shannon Miller.
Simone Biles Achieving Greatness Despite Challenges
Biles secured the gold medal with a flawless floor exercise performance. She overcame a calf injury to compete in all four events during the team finals. Her husband, Jonathan Owens, was present to witness her historic achievement. Owens received time off from the Chicago Bears to attend the games.
Biles expressed her joy, saying, “Winning this medal means everything to me. Competing despite my injury made it even more special.”
Previously, Biles earned four golds, one silver, and two bronzes at the Rio and Tokyo Olympics. Her impressive Olympic career includes two team medals, an all-around gold, vault gold, floor exercise gold, and two balance beam bronzes. Additionally, she boasts 30 World Championship medals.
Breaking Records and Making History
Biles’s record-breaking moment places her among the all-time greats. She now has eight Olympic medals from three Games, surpassing Shannon Miller. Biles already held the record for the most gold medals by an American gymnast with four from the Rio Olympics.
Allyson Felix is the only non-swimmer American woman with more Olympic medals than Biles, holding 11. However, Biles’s record could grow in Paris, as she qualified for four individual event finals: all-around, vault, balance beam, and floor exercise.
In women’s gymnastics, Biles is tied for seventh for the most Olympic medals won. Her five gold medals tie her with Nadia Comaneci and two other gymnasts for the third-most Olympic golds.
Biles continues to solidify her legacy as the most decorated gymnast in history, male or female. She now has 38 medals from the World Championships and Olympics, surpassing Vitaly Scherbo. Her five medals at the 2023 World Championships, including four golds, further demonstrate her dominance in the sport.
Reflecting on her journey, Biles stated, “It’s been an incredible ride. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished and excited for what’s next.”