Simone Biles made her return to the world stage last week for the World Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium and seemingly made a new mark on history each day she was there.

For Biles, it was a long-awaited return to the World Stage, as it was her first major international competition since the Tokyo Olympics. She opened up about the experience in Antwerp in an Instagram post on Friday.

“Antwerp will always hold a special place in my heart,” Biles wrote.

For Biles, her historic performance in Belgium was highlighted when she became the first woman to land the Yurchenko double pike vault internationally, which by rule will now be named “Biles II”.

“The first time I got a skill named after me was in this arena and 10 years later I got my fifth skill named. I’m speechless. I’m honored. I’m excited and I’m blessed!” Biles wrote.

Biles got her first element named during her first World Championships run in 2013 on a double layout with a half twist on floor exercise. She was 16 years old at the time when she established herself as the sport’s ascending star in Antwerp that year.

There are now five “Biles” elements in the gymnastics code across the vault, floor exercise and balance beam events. This ties Uzbek phenom Oksana Chusovitina for the second-most ever in women’s gymnastics.

Texas native Simone Biles has officially become the greatest of all time in gymnastics last week. The seven-time Olympic medalist performed several remarkable performances during her elite competitions, dominating both the individual all-around and individual apparatus events. One of the events where Biles has claimed the crown in each of her six visits is the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Following her wedding, she promptly embarked on a rigorous training routine, subsequently securing narrow victories at the national level before leading her team at the international competition.

“It’s full circle because obviously, the World Championships were here 10 years ago, which were my very first one,” she said. The expression “ate and left no bread crumbs” perfectly sums up Biles’ departure from Antwerp, having clinched an astonishing 27 world championship medals. Almost two weeks since her historic triumph, a recent update reminded her of how fast the night changes.

Simone Biles gets emotional looking back

Back in 2013, 16-year-old Simone Biles made her Worlds debut; the emerging sensation won the judges’ and audience’s hearts with her incredible skills. Taking home four medals, including two golds. On 8th October, the 2023 World Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium concluded with Biles taking home five medals including four golds! Team USA and USA Gymnastics shared a parallel of each of her wins; all-around and individual apparatuses on their Instagram.

Simone Biles is well aware of her successful World Championships campaign in Antwerp, an effort that saw her claim four gold medals across four different disciplines.

The American artistic gymnast is regarded by many as the greatest of all-time and as she targets a spot on the USA’s roster for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, she made a strong stake for her claim.

She took the top prize across in the teams category, all-around, balance beam and the floor exercise to take her 23rd gold at the Worlds and her 39th senior career medal.

“World championships!!!!!,” Biles wrote on Instagram. “Whew Antwerp will always hold a special place in my heart. The first time I got a skill named after me was in this arena & 10 years later I got my 5th skill named.

“I’m speechless. I’m honored. I’m excited and I’m blessed.

“Doing it for the little girl who fell in love with the sport!!!!!”

Biles’ Antwerp success

The American qualified in first place at the all-around final, scoring 58.932, just shy of two points clear of her teammate Shilese Jones.

She would, in fact, qualify first for every event with the exception of the uneven bars as she demonstrated her high standards of quality. In the process, she became the only gymnast to qualify for all of the finals of the individual events at the 2023 Worlds.

At the all-around, Biles executed each of her routines to win gold, except a slight stumble on her floor exercises, and she helped USA claim a seventh consecutive team medal.

The 26-year-old fell at the Yurchenko double pike but went on to win silver in the vault with a score of 14.549, just 0.201 behind the winning athlete, Rebeca Andrade.

She narrowly edged out Zhou Yaqin by a tenth in the balance beam final, showing that she was capable of handling the heat when it was brought to her.

Former American artistic gymnast Katelyn Ohashi praised compatriot Simone Biles by saying she was a champion. Biles left no stone unturned as she achieved multiple milestones at the recently concluded World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.

Biles completed 10 years of her career, returned to professional gymnastics after a two-year break, and also became the first American gymnast to represent the country for a sixth time. Biles won four gold medals—in the team, all-around, balance beam, and floor exercise events—and also a silver medal in vault.

The 26-year-old posted a photograph of herself being emotional on the podium after being overwhelmed by the magnitude of her achievements. Katelyn Ohashi shared the story on her Instagram and said Simone Biles was a champion.

The 26-year-old American gymnast took a two-year break from the sport during the Tokyo Olympics to focus on her mental health and to spend time with her family.

She also married Jonathan Owens, an NFL star, and returned to competitive gymnastics at the 2023 US Classic championships.

The months of 2023 have passed by in the blink of an eye. And soon we’ll hear those jingle bells ring. For Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens, this year has been a roller coaster ride going up. It feels like forever, but the two tied the knot earlier this year in May. Jonathan Owens also signed with the Green Bay Packers that same month, setting his sights on The Vince Lombardi Trophy. In August, Biles returned to the gymnastics floor after a two-year hiatus.

And now, with just two months left in the year, Biles is “the most decorated gymnast ever.”  Months ago, Simone posted a picture of herself and Owens snuggled up on a patio, gleaming with love and the summer glow. Now, in October, after six long weeks of being apart, the couple has reunited, and all their hard work is paying off as they gear up for their favorite season of autumn recreating the picture – with a heartwarming update.

Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens gear up for America’s favorite season

In a recent Instagram story, Jonathan Owens shared a heartwarming update. He posted a picture of his wife, in a cozy orange sweatshirt, her classic “OWENS” necklace adorning her neck, while he wore a white shirt with a diamond link chain. The two were snuggled up on a couch, their glowing smiles showing off their dimples as they took a selfie. No caption was needed, as their smiles radiated all the joy after rekindling their romance after nearly six weeks.

Fans are excited to see the two finally getting some time together after going through the motions of long-distance multiple times this year. This story update comes just a day after Owens gifted Biles a bouquet adorned with fall vibes, featuring a beautiful mix of different flowers in hues of orange, burgundy, and lavender. Before Owens could upload the story, he also reposted his wife’s Instagram post, which warmed hearts

How the stars aligned

In his previous story, Owens shared a post by Biles featuring a carousel of images capturing her epic moments at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. She shared images of her tearing up on the podium, on the floor exercise, and with her coaches. In the post, she wrote, “doing it for the little girl who fell in love with the sport!!!!!” making history in gymnastics once more. Biles had nothing to prove after already having seven Olympic medals to her name, yet she went back and, with sheer dominance, made history.

She earned the seventh consecutive World title with Team USA, her sixth World All-Around Title, a gold on uneven bars, and her sixth World Title on floor exercise. It is heartwarming to see her back with her NFL husband, who is also on a break during the NFL’s bye week. The bye week is a time for NFL teams to scout themselves, hit the reset button, gain insights, and develop ideas on how to proceed with the rest of the season

Simone Biles had earlier mentioned how Jonathan could be “cut or fined” if he missed any practice session or game. So, the stars have definitely aligned for the two to spend some much deserved time and bring in the fall season together.

The walk to the top was not the easiest one for Simone Biles. Her elite journey began at 16, the same year she made her global debut in Europe, taking home four medals. Thereon began the journey of redefining gymnastics. Leaving mats, the seven-time Olympic artistic gymnastics medallist stepped into a new role as a mental health advocate. During her 730 days off, she found peace, married her love Jonathan Owens, and prepared for a triumphant return this summer.

Simone Biles “speechless” at Antwerp show

Simone Biles displayed her artistic brilliance as a teen in the Sportpaleis facility in Antwerp which was also her international launch. Not a lot changed since 2013, Biles again left her mark in the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championship, which ended last week in the same venue. Only this time, she left as the most decorated gymnast with combined Worlds and Olympics podium finishes of 37! Biles shared an emotional post on Instagram recently, which read, “world championships!!!!! whew Antwerp will always hold a special place in my heart.”

At the first appearance, she donned a pink leotard with braces visible as she smiled broadly. Since Shannon Miller in 1991, Biles was the first American gymnast to advance to the all-around and finals of all four events at 16. This year, she wore a similar pink bedazzled Leo flaunting an ear-to-ear smile. “The first time I got a skill named after me was in this arena & 10 years later I got my 5th skill named…I’m speechless. I’m honored. I’m excited and I’m blessed!” she wrote

There was so much more to thank for, Biles added, “doing it for the little girl who fell in love with the sport!!!!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the love & support.” Now, the Texas native competed in six Worlds (2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), reaching 33 finals and taking home medals in 30, which calculates to a 91% success rate! Officially, a G.O.A.T. as she added four gold and one silver medal to her already lavish alloy collection. Antwerp has never sent Simone back with empty hands!

Then and now, Antwerp remains a sweet spot

Biles debuted her double layout salto with a half-twist maneuver on the floor exercise at the 2013 World Gymnastics Championships. Interestingly, it has a G-difficulty grade and has been perfectly executed in a competition by a few gymnasts so far. At the same event, she won the AA and floor golds, the vault silver, and the balance beam bronze. The floor move was eventually accorded the “Biles I” distinction.

Ten years later, under Biles’s lead, the American team captured their seventh consecutive gold medal. In addition, she won two golds from the floor and balance beam events and a silver on the vault. On the opening day, Biles became the first female athlete to execute the Yurchenko double pike vault, now her fifth named move(Biles II). Later, she earned a record-breaking sixth all-around gold beating Vitaly Scherbo of Belarus’s previous mark of 33 medals from the Olympics and World Championships. Biles truly is competing in her stratosphere now, at the top of the mountain being the G.O.A.T!

Simone Biles recently penned a heartfelt post after the conclusion of the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. By competing in Antwerp, Belgium this year, the legendary gymnast completed a full circle of 10 years in her world championship career. Remembering her journey, she expressed her gratitude.

Simone Biles’ participation at the 2023 World Championships was special in many ways. Firstly, it was her first major international event after returning from her two-year mental health break. Moreover, her career’s first world championship experience happened in Antwerp in 2013. It was Biles’s iconic return to the same place where she achieved two gold medals, one silver medal, and a bronze medal.

By competing in the 2023 World Championships, Simone Biles became the first American gymnast to represent the country for the sixth time. She was unstoppable at this year’s event, winning four gold medals in the team, all-around, balance beam, and floor exercise events and also a silver medal in vault. Moreover, she made history by winning her sixth gold medal in the all-around event.

So, remembering her achievements at the world championships, the 26-year-old posted her pictures from the event and wrote on her Instagram post,

While performing in the vault in the all-around event, Biles stunned the world by displaying the Yurchenko double pike vault, a move mostly performed by male gymnasts. Impressed by her terrific performance, the world championship organizers named the skill after her as Biles II.

In her Instagram post, she mentioned getting another skill named after her,

As the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championship threw accolades like confetti, Simone Biles made her mark again. After a highly anticipated comeback at the US Hydration Core Classic in August, she set her sights on the World Championships. Quite obviously, her ‘Worlds’ comeback also paid off, as she earned the all-around title with a 58.399. Subsequently, she anchored the US women’s roster to victory with an extraordinary 167.729. After leaving every other competitor behind, the seven-time Olympic medalist had an unusual confession.

Having started her athletic journey on the Antwerp ground, Biles, then 16-year-old, earned the all-around World Title. Things were different back then. For a gymnast who witnessed glory up close, having a penchant for medals and podiums was natural. However, after the GOAT faced a setback at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, her perceptions changed. Simone has transformed into a better person, besides being the owner of 37 medals.

Simone Biles’ doesn’t run behind the podium anymore

One of Simone’s fan pages named Biles and Chiles shared a post-event interview of the Olympain. In more than half-an-decade, she was the oldest woman to have competed at the World Championships. In order to celebrate her illustrious career, several fans post her inspirational journey on social media. Along similar lines, this fan captioned the post as “Simone’s interview after winning the gold on floor and beam today!!” 

Biles won four gold medals and one silver at the Antwerp 2023 World Cup

“She is a role model for many young women around the world, and now she is back,” said psychologist Robert Andrews, American gymnast Simone Biles’ primary therapist.

10 years after taking charge of Biles’ mental health, Andrews talked with the Spanish media “Relevo,” where he revealed the secrets to treating a world-class athlete.

“I worked on this with Simone from March 2013 to July 2017,” the specialist indicated during the talk.

He explained that he was free to talk about part of the treatment because the gymnast had already done it in her book and biographical film.

The therapist recalled that the hardest battle he and Biles faced was “fighting that old culture of stoicism where it seems like a gymnast is not having fun.”

Another challenge was the insecurity of someone who is considered the best gymnast of all time. “She wasn’t very sure of herself. Simone didn’t really believe in herself. That’s what we started to work on, helping her develop her confidence,” he said.

Andrews explained that to overcome these obstacles they had to “work hard to keep her empowered and so that she could continue to appear that way despite a culture that did not allow it.”

Simone gets the reward

Her psychological hard work paid off in 2013, when she won the first of three consecutive world medals in the individual all-around: Antwerp 2013, Nanning 2014, and Glasgow 2015.

“At the Rio Games, she won four Olympic golds and one bronze medal,”Andrews recalled, although he admitted there could have been five golds if not for an ill-timed slip on the balance beam.

Biles’ success also deeply impacted the specialist’s career: “I had to hire four people in my practice due to the work overload that arrived in 2016.”

One of the keys to success in treating the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic champion was helping her “take her foot off the accelerator or, in other words, not use so much energy,”Andrews explained.

He detailed that a couple of years ago, she was struggling to master a new skill for her routines, so he texted her: “Remember the concept of taking your foot off the gas.”

He highlighted the courage she displayed to pause her career in 2016 to care for her mental health despite the barrage of criticism. “I think the best example is that she retired and not only made that decision for her mental health but also her physical health.”

“What Simone did was defend herself mentally, physically, and emotionally,” said Andrews, and he also highlighted that the athlete’s example“gave many athletes permission to ask for help.”