By BOTWC Staff
Simone Biles is making history again!
Biles recently became the first woman to land the Yurchenko double pike at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastic Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, on October 1.
In gymnastics, skills are named after the first person to land them in an international competition. So Biles will have the skill named after her. The gymnast already has four other skills named for her — two are on floor, one is on beam, and one is on vault.
Her latest vault will be named the Biles II, according to ABC News.
“It’s great,” coach Laurent Landi said after Biles performed the vault, per USA Today. “People, I hope realize that’s maybe one of the last times you’re going to see a vault like that in your life from a woman gymnast. So I think it’s time to appreciate it.”
Landi continued, “She made it. She handled her nerves, handled the pressure. Last event, so there was fatigue and everything.”
The vault is the most difficult jump, according to the women’s scoring code. It was given a “difficulty score” of 6.4 points before Sunday’s meet, according to NBC Sports. Last year, 5.6 was the most challenging vault performance at the competition.
Biles scored a 15.266. She is set to compete in all four individual finals and the all-around final later this week.
Biles is definitely making a comeback after her two-year hiatus. In August, she claimed a record eight all-around titles at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships.
“It’s really amazing. Everybody in here believes in me,” she said at the time, according to NBC News. “So I just need to start believing in myself a little bit more, but it feels amazing and I love the fans, I love the crowd. It was really special.”
