Simone Biles makes history as the most decorated U.S. Olympic gymnast and leads Team USA to a gold medal in the women's team competition. 

**PARIS** — When Simone Biles took to the vault during Tuesday's team all-around final at the Olympic Games, her teammate Jordan Chiles was watching intently.

It was at this very moment during the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo that things went awry for Biles. Under the immense pressure of global expectations, she struggled with the "twisties"—a baffling condition that left her unable to twist in midair despite countless successful attempts over her career. Forced to withdraw from the event, Biles's absence contributed to the U.S. team settling for a silver medal. She subsequently took a two-year hiatus from gymnastics to focus on her mental health.

So, it would have been understandable if there had been a hint of anxiety on Tuesday night at Bercy Arena in Paris, as the Americans began their vault routine just as they had in 2021.

Instead, Biles executed her vault with flawless grace. As her feet touched the mat and her arms rose in triumph, she beamed with joy, and her teammates erupted in celebration from the sidelines.

"I was like, 'Yo, hallelujah, no flashbacks!'" Chiles exclaimed, jumping with excitement when Biles nailed her routine. "From that moment on, she's the greatest of all time, so it felt like, 'Okay, we're really going to do this.'"

The U.S. team went on to secure a decisive victory, finishing with a 5.8-point lead over Italy to reclaim the gold medal in the women's team all-around.

Chellsie Memmel, the technical lead for the Olympic team and a former Olympic gymnast herself, praised Biles's resilience. "It speaks volumes of her strength and her comeback under the world’s gaze," she said. "It reinforces her status as the greatest gymnast of all time." Despite a minor step out of bounds on the floor exercise, Biles was the top scorer of the night. She competed in all four events—vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor—alongside Chiles, Suni Lee, and Jade Carey. The fifth member of Team USA, 16-year-old Hezly Rivera, did not compete in the final.

Biles admitted feeling a significant sense of relief after landing her vault. This final felt vastly different from 2021's pressure-filled atmosphere. She reported feeling "calm and ready" this time, attributing part of her mental clarity to starting her day with therapy—a key aspect of her recovery. "It's been a roller coaster for the past three years, with many highs and challenging lows. Today was incredible," said Cecile Landi, Biles’s coach.

Ahead of this summer's Games, Biles and her teammates were determined to redeem themselves after Tokyo. "I feel like we all have more to give. Our Tokyo performances weren't our best," Biles remarked after the U.S. Olympic Team Trials last month. "We had tough circumstances, but we carry the weight of proving ourselves as better athletes."

Brazil won the bronze medal, with Rebeca Andrade emerging as a formidable contender for Biles in the individual all-around event.

Concerns about Biles's physical health surfaced on Sunday after she tweaked her calf during qualifying. However, coaches minimized the injury's severity, and she competed in the team final with her left calf wrapped in athletic tape.

This gold medal is Biles's first of the 2024 Olympic Games, adding to her already unmatched record as the most decorated gymnast in history. It is her eighth Olympic medal and her fifth gold—though Biles said she doesn't keep count.

"I'm doing what I love and enjoying it. That’s what matters most to me," she said. "I don’t think I'll fully grasp its significance until I step away from the sport."

Biles is set to compete again in Thursday’s individual all-around final, where she, Andrade, and fellow U.S. gymnast Lee, the Tokyo gold medalist, are expected to be top contenders. Biles also qualified for three event finals: vault, balance beam, and floor exercise.

Perhaps the only mishap of the night was a minor blunder before the competition even began: Biles dashed onto the arena floor prematurely during Team USA’s introduction.