Ten years after climbing to the top of the podium for the first time, Simone Biles became the first gymnast –man or woman- to win an eighth all-around national title in the National Gymnastics Championships, breaking her tie at seven with Alfred Jochim, whose seventh title dated back to 1933. At 26, Biles is also the oldest gymnast to win the Women's Nationals since the U.S. Gymnastics Federation was established in 1963. After the competition, Biles stressed that her career is not over but she has not decided whether she will compete in the next Olympics.
.@Simone_Biles 8️⃣ this up.
She's the first gymnast in history - man or woman - to win 8 U.S. all-around titles!#XfinityChamps pic.twitter.com/vcz2T3b9yN
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 28, 2023
Unbeatable
In her second appearance since she took a break due to mental health issues, Biles was unrivaled from the get-go. Halfway through the competition, she had a significant lead over the others. The Ohio gymnast was joined on the podium by Shilese Jones who finished in second with 114.550 points and Leanne Wood who finished third with 111.100.
The athlete was pleased to win her eighth title, although she pointed out that she wasn't thinking about the numbers. "I don't think about numbers, I think about my performance. And I think, overall, I hit 8 for 8 (clean events). So eight, I guess it’s a lucky number this year," she said.
Simone Biles prefers to keep her personal goals "secretive"
When asked if she intends to participate in the next Olympic Games, Biles refused to answer, claiming that she prefers to keep her goals secret. She said that is what has helped her to be able to compete again and overcome the problems that led her to withdraw from the competition early in Tokyo.
I like to keep (my goals) personal, just so that I know what I’m aiming for. I think it’s better that way. I’m trying to move a little bit differently this year than I have in the past. I think it’s working so far, so I’m going to keep it a little bit secretive.
Next stop: The World Championships in Antwerp
Her performance qualified her to compete in the World Championships that will take place in Antwerp, Belgium at the end of September. She will have the opportunity to add to her already impressive collection of 25 medals (18 of them gold).
