Simone Biles, Team USA Finish ‘Redemption Tour’ With Gold Medal

Simone Biles and Team USA suffered heartbreak in 2021, but it 6.81 seconds to achieve redemption and cement greatness.

Biles suffered an injury at the 2020 Summer Olympics during the women’s gymnastics team final that forced her out of competition and for the United States to settle for silver. The 27-year-old spent the next Olympic cycle recovering and dazzling the competition at world championships.

Tokyo was the only time since 2011 the United States lost an Olympic competition or world championship, and injuries during the Olympic Trials proved to be another obstacle. But Biles, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee and Hezly Rivera dominated the field to achieve a total score of 171.296, which was well past Italy and Brazil. Biles put the finishing touch on Team USA’s gold medal performance with a floor routine set to the music by Taylor Swift and Beyonce.

Tuesday’s Olympic gold medal in Paris was Biles’ fifth in her career, making her the most decorated American gymnast in history; she also has won one silver and two bronze medals. And she became the oldest Olympic champion in any gymnastics event since 1964.

Biles and her United States teammates will get another chance at glory at the individual final Thursday.