Simone Biles becomes first woman to land Yurchenko double pike
Gymnast Simone Biles has become the first woman to land the Yurchenko double pike vault in the competition. She accomplished the milestone at the GK US Classic in Indianapolis on Saturday. The Yurchenko double pike involves a roundoff onto the springboard, a back handspring onto the vaulting table, and a piked double backflip into the air before landing. Here are further details.
Biles defended her title with a score of 58.400
The four-time Olympic gold medalist, Biles, successfully defended her GK US Classic all-around title with a score of 58.400. This was her first competition in over a year. She claimed the top score on both balance beam and floor exercise. Notably, Biles sported a leotard, laced with a rhinestone goat, an apparent hint to her title as the GOAT (Greatest of All Time).
Biles was proud of her achievement
"I was just thinking, 'Do it like training. Don't try to like overdo anything', because I have a tendency as soon as I raise my hand to kind of overpower things, and I did a little bit, but at least I was on my feet. It's a new vault and I'm proud of how today went," said Biles after breaking the record.
WATCH: How Simone Biles created history
Biles bagged a score of 16.100
As stated, the Yurchenko double pike is an extremely difficult vault move that hadn't been attempted by any woman before Biles. She bagged a score of 16.100, higher than either of the vaults that made her the 2016 Olympic gold medalist.
One of the most decorated gymnasts
Biles is one the most decorated gymnasts. She has clinched 30 Olympic and World Championship medals, and is only behind Vitaly Scherbo (33) and Larisa Latynina (32) on the tally. At the 2016 Summer Olympics, the 24-year-old won individual gold medals in all-around, vault and floor events. She also won bronze in balance beam, and gold as part of the United States team.
A look at her notable feats
Biles has won the most World Championship medals (25). She broke Scherbo's record of winning 23 medals at the 2019 competition in Stuttgart. Biles is the first American female gymnast to win a World Championship medal at every event. She also became the first female gymnast since Daniela SilivaČ™ in 1988 to win a medal at every event (Olympic Games or World Championships).
