Simone Biles Has Unprecedented Performance at U.S. Gymnastics Championship

Simone Biles is unlike any other gymnast in history.

The 22-year-old won her sixth consecutive all-around U.S. Gymnastics Championship title on Sunday in Kansas City, but that was just a footnote compared to how she did it.

Biles, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, became the first female gymnast to land a triple-double — two flips and three twists — cleanly in competition during her floor exercise on Sunday.

The nearly impossible move has only been completed on the men’s side before, and even in men’s competition it is a rarity due to its extreme difficulty.

Biles was actually the first female gymnast to attempt the triple-double on Friday, but was unable to stick a clean landing. Yet she still managed to complete another unprecedented feat when she completed a double-double dismount — a move which featured Biles do a double-twisting double somersault.

Despite the historic feat, Biles actually appeared angry after Friday’s event that she did not land the triple-double. That anger was long gone by Sunday.

“I was a lot happier today,” Biles said, via The Associated Press. “I feel I haven’t been as confident on bars this year as I was last year. To finally do a good routine like i can do it, I was really happy. I was very happy and the last event, so I was like, ‘Thank God we’re done.’”

Biles finished with a two-day score of 118.500, which was nearly five points ahead of 16-year-old runner-up Sunisa Lee. The championship also marked 21 all-around titles in the last six years for Biles.

With the 2020 Summer Olympics less than a year away, it is clear Biles will be ready to shine once again when she heads to Tokyo.