Simone Biles returns to competition for first time in 2 years, wins all-around title
ByBob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Simone Biles: The four-time Olympic gold medalist returned to competition for the first time in two years this weekend. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
(Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
ByBob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Four-time Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Simone Biles returned to competition in earnest on Saturday, winning the all-around event in her first action since the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Biles, 26, the world’s most decorated gymnast with 25 medals at the World Championships and seven at the Olympics, competed at the Core Hydration Classic in the Chicago suburb of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, CNN reported.
Biles takes first in all-around event
Update 10:27 p.m. EDT Aug. 5: Simone Biles’ return to competition had a familiar ring to it: Another gold medal. Biles, 26, took first place in the all-around competition, The Washington Post reported.
Biles defeated runner-up Leanne Wong by five points. She also completed her most difficult vault, the Yurchenko double pike, according to the newspaper.
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 6, 2023
Original report: Biles scored a 14 on the uneven parallel bars, two years and a day after winning a bronze medal at the Toyko Olympics, according to CNN.
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 6, 2023
Biles withdrew from the team final in gymnastics after becoming disoriented with a mental block known in gymnastics circles as “the twisties,” The Washington Post reported.
Biles was attempting a two-and-a-half twisting vault, and later withdrew from the all-around competition and the finals in the vault, bar and floor exercises, according to the newspaper.
Biles is registered to compete in all four events at the Core Hydration Classic, a spokesperson for USA Gymnastics told CNN.
The meet is the final qualifier for the U.S. Gymnastics Championships, which will be held in San Jose, California, from Aug. 24 to Aug. 27, ESPN reported.
The world gymnastics championships will follow in Antwerp, Belgium, from Sept. 30 through Oct. 8, according to CNN.
1 of 11
Photos: Simone Biles through the years Here are some memorable photos of seven-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles through the years. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Photos: Simone Biles through the years 2013: Simone Biles (center) of Spring, Texas, on the podium with Kyla Ross (left) of Aliso Viejo, California, and Brenna Dowell of Odessa, Missouri, after winning the All-Round title during the Senior Women Competition at the 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships at the XL Centre in Hartford, Connecticut, on Aug. 17, 2013. (Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
Photos: Simone Biles through the years 2014: Simone Biles of the United States performs on the balance beam during the women's team final on Day 2 of the 45th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships at Guangxi Sports Center Stadium on October 8, 2014, in Nanning, China. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
Photos: Simone Biles through the years 2015: Simone Biles of United States competes on the beam during Day 10 of the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships at the SSE Hydro on November 1, 2015, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Ian MacNicol/Getty images)
Photos: Simone Biles through the years 2016: Gold medalist Simone Biles of the United States poses for photographs after the medal ceremony for the Women's Individual All-Around on Day 6 of the 2016 Rio Olympics at Rio Olympic Arena on August 11, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Photos: Simone Biles through the years 2017: Olympic gymnasts Aly Raisman (left) and Simone Biles attend the 2017 ESPYS at Microsoft Theater on July 12, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
Photos: Simone Biles through the years 2018: Simone Biles warms up on the balance beam during Day 2 of the U.S. Gymnastics Championships 2018 at TD Garden on August 17, 2018, in Boston. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Photos: Simone Biles through the years 2019: Simone Biles of The United States poses for photos with her multiple gold medals during Day 10 of the 49th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships at Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle on October 13, 2019, in Stuttgart, Germany. (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Photos: Simone Biles through the years 2020: Simone Biles visits the Lower Eastside Girls Club with SK-II at Lower East Side Girls Club on March 3, 2020, in New York City. (Craig Barritt/Getty Images for SK-II)
Photos: Simone Biles through the years 2021: Simone Biles of Team United States poses with the bronze medal following the Women's Balance Beam Final on Day 11 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on August 3, 2021, in Tokyo. (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)