Story at a glance
- Gymnast Simone Biles competed at the U.S. Classic on Saturday in Indianapolis.
- The 24-year-old world and Olympic champion performed the Yurchenko double pike vault, previously only executed by men.
- Biles came in first for the night with an all-around score of 58.400.
Simone Biles proved she is ready for the Tokyo Olympics and made history as a female gymnast all in one night.
The world and Olympic champion, 24-year-old Biles stunned as she emerged victorious at the U.S. Classic on Saturday in Indianapolis, filled with hopefuls looking to secure a spot on the 2021 U.S. Olympic team. Jordan Chiles finished second in the all-around and Kayla DiCello came in third.
In her first competition in more than 18 months amid the coronavirus pandemic, Biles came in first with an all-around score of 58.400. But what stole the show was Biles’s history-making vault routine.
The Yurchenko double pike vault is a routine that has historically only been completed by men, consisting of a roundoff onto the springboard, a back handspring onto the vault, and two backflips midair before landing.
Biles executed the male-dominated routine with ease, aside from hopping back one or two steps upon landing. Still, even with the slight markdowns for her extra steps, Biles earned a 16.100, a score higher than her two 2016 Olympic vaults for which she received the gold medal.
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Biles flipped into history on Saturday in style, donning a white leotard bearing a rhinestone outline of a goat on the back, a fun acknowledgement of those who call her the Greatest of All-Time, or GOAT.
The 2020 Summer Olympics, which were postponed due to COVID-19, are scheduled to be held from July 23 to Aug. 8, 2021, despite concerns over the ongoing pandemic.
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