He promised and fulfilled. North American gymnast Simone Biles, 26, made another high appearance at the World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, successfully performing the sport’s most difficult horse jump, the Yurchenko Double Pike (Yurchenko with steep double somersault), which the highest Code score achieved by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), a beautiful 6.4. However, the magical pirouette was approved and named after him: Biles II.
It was not the first time that the American athlete did this. I had already achieved it in 2021, but never in an international competition. Biles became the first woman to achieve such a feat at a World Gymnastics Championship the day before yesterday. It should be noted that these are the first World Cups he has competed in after a two-year break to take care of his mental health, following the 2021 Beijing Olympics.
The Yurchenko type jump has the peculiarity of being performed with a horse jump and owes its name to the Soviet Natalia Yurchenko, who was the first to perform it and who congratulated Biles in 2021 when she presented it for the first time in competition.
However, Biles II is a more complex version of the original Yurchenko – the American athlete does two backflips (with her legs extended and close to her torso) before landing, something that is difficult to achieve because it requires a lot of strength and speed to land . Stand up as high as you can, about two meters, and quickly turn around so that you land perfectly on your feet.
In 2018, the FIG had already awarded the name Biles I to a jump by the North American gymnast, holder of 25 World Championship medals, 19 of which were gold. In total, the gymnast has already given her name to five acrobatics.
Biles was away from all competition for two years. The announcement was made by herself during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, raising mental health concerns. “As soon as I step on the mat, it’s just me and my mind dealing with demons. I have to do what’s right for me and I have to focus on my mental health. We have to protect our health and well-being and not just what the world wants us to do,” he said at the time.
It was the sounding of the alarm for a super athlete who had to grow up and deal with stardom very early, she who had a childhood and youth marked by her mother’s drug addiction until adoption, which her entry into gymnastics and went through hard training with Márta Károlyi (Nadia Comaneci’s coach who did not allow joy during training), the arrest of her brother for murder and sexual abuse by Larry Nassar, a former American gymnastics doctor.
Success “a little different”
Her return to competition took place in August, at the US Classic, where she won her eighth national floor gymnastics title. Biles hasn’t said much, and one of the few interviews she gave was on the International Olympic Committee website, where she explained the reasons that led her to return to active duty.
“I think a big part of it was imagining myself in 10 years’ time, looking back and thinking about the regrets I might have. I want to see footage of the World Cup or the Paris Games on television and think, ‘Wow, If I had done that, I would only have gone back to the gym, if I had tried a little harder…” Because I will always do what I want to do after my career is over. But I won’t have my career forever I think that success now means something different to me. Now I just have to show up, be mentally fit, have fun and whatever happens, happens,” he said.
Now, in form and at full capacity, even if there is no official confirmation, it is almost certain that Biles will be at the Olympic Games in Paris next year. She impressed the whole world when she won four gold medals in Rio 2016. It’s fair to say that Simone Biles is back and not just to win and compete. Also to impress.
Source: DN
