PARIS: Simone Biles' sixth Olympic gold medal hung around her neck and so did a winking baby goat – just a reminder to the gymnast hailed as the greatest of all time that she truly belongs in the pantheon of sporting greats.
“I was like, OK, if it goes well, we'll wear the goat necklace,” Biles said after winning a thrilling all-around final for her second gold medal of the Paris Games.
“I know people are going to freak out about it, but at the end of the day, it's crazy that I'm in an interview with the greatest of all athletes because I still think I'm Simone Biles from Spring, Texas, who loves to flip.”
Biles, who pushed the boundaries of her sport en route to a staggering 39 world and Olympic medals – 29 of them gold – has not been defeated in the all-around since 2013 – when she won her first world all-around. title.
She won four gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics and looked poised to improve her Olympic legacy in Tokyo three years ago before withdrawing from most of her events because of a mental block gymnasts call “twisties”.
“It's been eight years,” she said of the gap between her Olympic all-around golds. “It's amazing.” I was a bit naive in the process. So I appreciate my craft a little more.”
Biles, who said she wasn't sure she would return to the world stage immediately after Tokyo, credits coaches Cecile and Laurent Landio, her family and her own willingness to work hard through her mental health issues for her ability to come back. from an almost two-year absence and to be even better than ever.
After a mistake on the uneven bars, she needed all her mental strength to finish third halfway through the final, albeit just 0.267 points behind leader and eventual silver medalist Rebecca Andrade of Brazil.
“I was a little disappointed with my performance on bars,” Biles said. “This is how I usually swing.
“I'm not the best bar swinger. I'm not like Suni (Lee) or Kaylia (Nemour), but like, I can swing some bars, you know?'
After a few minutes to “center and refocus,” Biles performed a solid balance beam routine to regain the lead and seal the victory with another dazzling high-flying routine.
“I couldn't believe I did it,” Biles said, adding that she was looking forward to the next three finals — vault, beam and floor.
“Now it's time for fun and the hard part is over,” she laughed.
And in case she needs it, she said, she keeps a baby goat in her room in the athletes' village, “just to get a reminder like, 'You can go out, you can do it.' You've already done it, so let's go.'”
