Simone Biles just performed a gymnastics move that has never been done before and is even considered dangerous. This impressive maneuver is known as the “triple-twisting double back off the balance beam” – catchy name to say the least.
Simone Arianne Biles is a 23 year old American gymnast who holds 25 World medals (ranging from gold, silver, and bronze), 19 World gold medals, and holds five Olympic medals (four gold and 1 bronze). These awards are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the 17 years of her gymnastics career from when she first began gymnastics back in 2003.
After being absent from the gym for seven weeks, the thriving gymnast flawlessly executed the triple-twisting double back off the balance beam after returning for only two weeks. She posted the video to her twitter on June 16th with the caption, “sometimes I flip and what not”. I can’t even express how mesmerized I am by her skills so, take a look at the video and be mesmerized with me.
However, this move is actually deemed “too dangerous” by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). Simone Biles performed a similar move (minus a twist) in Stuttgart, Germany for the World Artistic Gymnastics Champions last October. FIG gave the move a lower than expected rating in difficulty and classified it as “too dangerous”.
Biles was upset with their decision on the maneuver, stating that it is unfair. She expressed her feelings to the Olympic Channel, “They keep asking us to do more difficulty and to give more artistry, give more harder skills. So we do, and then they don’t credit it, and I don’t think that’s fair.” FIG has not yet commented on her recent mastery of this never-been-done-before move. Nonetheless, the fact that this move is classified as “dangerous” and “never been done before” and she performed it perfectly speaks volumes on her skills as a gymnast.
Since the announcement that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics would be postponed for another year, this video is one of the first sneak peeks of Biles’s gymnastic training. She first got wind that the Tokyo Olympics would be postponed through text while she was in rotation with training. Biles communicated with TODAY that, yes, she cried about the cancellation but ultimately knew that it was the right decision in making sure that everyone in the world is healthy and safe.
Of course, the gold medalist is no doubt a gifted gymnast but she is also a source of inspiration and motivation for many people. She partnered with Candid, an aligner company, to motivate others on challenging themselves and overcoming fears to emerge stronger – especially during the pandemic. Biles also posts about relief funds for COVID-19 as well as showing her support for local restaurants. Also, let’s not forget the hilarious (and wholesome) bee incident in her bouquet at the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championship in Nanning, China.
All in all, Simone Biles is a powerhouse in the gymnastics world as well as a public figure who spreads inspiration and motivation during these times of quarantine. If you want to emerge stronger alongside Biles during this pandemic, her instagram has many posts about how she is doing just that. Or, you can also can look here for some lockdown lifestyle changes.
