Biles secures her eighth U.S. Gymnastics championship, setting a new record ten years after her initial victory.

Simone Biles remains at the pinnacle even after ten years in SAN JOSE, Calif.

The star of gymnastics achieved her eighth U.S. Championship title on Sunday evening, a decade after she initially rose to prominence as a remarkable teenager in her field.

Biles, now a 26-year-old newlywed considered perhaps the greatest of all time, posted an all-around two-day total of 118.40, four points clear of runner-up Shilese Jones. Florida junior Leanne Wong claimed third, bolstering her chances of making a third straight world championship team.

Biles is almost certain to go back to the gym where she won her first world championship in 2013. During two thrilling evenings at the SAP Center, she made it clear that even after taking a two-year break following the Tokyo Olympics, she remains the greatest of all time in gymnastics, while everyone else falls behind.

Biles made history by becoming the oldest female athlete to win a national title since the inception of USA Gymnastics’ event in 1963. Surpassing Alfred Jochim’s record of seven crowns, which he achieved between 1925-33 during the championships organized by the Amateur Athletics Union, Biles now holds eight titles. It is worth noting that the men’s competition during that time also included rope climbing.

Yes, really.

Biles stated that she doesn’t focus on numbers but rather on her performance. She believes that she successfully completed all eight routines, considering it a fortunate outcome for this year.

The sport has made significant progress in the past hundred years. Biles stands out as someone who has dedicated a decade to utilizing her exceptional abilities to surpass limits in various aspects.

Peaks aren’t supposed to last this long. Most elite gymnasts at 26 – at least the ones who haven’t retired – are simply hoping to hold on to what they have.

Biles isn’t interested in that. Never has been. She finds repetition boring. She insists this time she’s doing it “for herself” and her markedly different approach to her job offers tangible proof she’s not lying.

Instead of allowing the world to witness her journey towards a third Olympics, she has chosen to keep her training mostly private. Her focus lies more on sharing glimpses of her life outside the gym.

“I prefer to keep my goals private, as it helps me stay focused on what I want to achieve,” expressed Biles. “I believe it’s more beneficial this way. This year, I’m approaching things in a slightly different manner than before, and it seems to be yielding positive results. Therefore, I intend to maintain the element of secrecy.”

She seems to have achieved a better equilibrium in her life, embracing the mindset of “it’s only gymnastics” that played a significant role in her success.

She remains youthful despite taking precautions on Sunday, according to her own standards. During training on Saturday, she slightly injured her right ankle, causing her to decide against performing the Yurchenko double pike vault. This vault had been executed nearly flawlessly during the competition’s first night on Friday.

The score of 14.850 she obtained for her Cheng vault remained the highest of the evening for that event. The same goes for the score of 14.8 she achieved on the balance beam. Additionally, the score of 15.400 she received at the end also garnered a standing ovation.

In late September, Biles will be heading to Antwerp for her next competition. She aims to increase her impressive collection of 25 medals, 18 of which are gold, that she has earned throughout her remarkable career.

Jones is expected to be on the plane as well. The 21-year-old is exceptionally skilled on the bars, despite her height (approximately 5 feet 6 inches), which is considered tall for someone in this profession. The audience cheered loudly when she successfully executed her dismount, earning a score of 15.000, the highest in the competition for this event. This achievement also marks a significant milestone for Jones, as it signifies her ability to overcome the setbacks caused by 10 months of injuries that had previously hindered her training.

It is uncertain who will join Jones and Biles at worlds.

Sunisa Lee, the current Olympic champion, has faced a kidney problem throughout the year that her doctors are still working on. Despite this, she has shown potential as a specialist by performing a strong routine on the balance beam.

Wong, an athlete attempting to participate in both NCAA and elite competitions simultaneously, delivered exceptional performances on two consecutive nights. These included a graceful routine on the bars and a floor exercise that compensates for its lack of strength with remarkable precision.

Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles, who were part of Biles’ team at the 2020 Olympics, have also divided their time between college and elite gymnastics over the past two years. However, they did not perform as well. Chiles had falls on both the bars and beam, while Carey only managed to finish in the top 10 in the vault event, where the American team is expected to excel.