Simone Biles was in imperious form as she made a triumphant return to competitive gymnastics on Saturday night after a two-year absence to focus on her mental health.
The four-time Olympic gold medalist performed to a sold-out crowd in Hoffman Estates, Ill., just outside Chicago, winning the all-around, balance beam and routine titles floor at the US Classic.
The 26-year-old pulled out of the women’s team final at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 after suffering ‘twists’ – a terrifying mental block that causes athletes to lose track of their position in the air.
She withdrew from four subsequent individual finals at the Games, before making a brief return to beam to win bronze, but has since not competed and has spent the past two years away from the sport.
She later hinted that it was partly because of the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of pedophile doctor Larry Nassar.
Simone Biles was all smiles as she returned to competitive gymnastics on Saturday night
The 26-year-old won the Balance Beam (pictured) as well as the all-around and floor titles
There was a sold-out crowd to witness Biles’ triumphant return to Illinois
Biles warms up ahead of his winning return to the sport, two years after his last competition
Biles is one of more than 150 gymnasts who have been abused by Nassar, the former national team doctor, during her 30-year career, and in 2019 she revealed that the trauma of the assaults left her had left her struggling with suicidal thoughts.
At the time, she admitted she ‘slept all the time’ because it was ‘the closest thing to death’, while revealing she was in therapy to deal with the abuse.
When she pulled out of the individual Olympic event, she retweeted a statement of support from former gymnast turned fitness trainer Andrea Orris, which read:
“We’re talking about the same girl who was sexually abused by her team doctor throughout her childhood and teenage years.
Fans were numerous, with one holding a sign for the four-time Olympic gold medalist
Biles is congratulated by her coach Laurent Landi (right) after competing on the uneven bars
Biles hugs her coach Cecile Landi after competing on the balance beam at Hoffman Estates
Biles appeared laser focused as she competed on the uneven bars in her brilliant comeback
“This girl has suffered more trauma at the age of 24 than most people will ever experience in their lifetime.”
Although Biles has not issued his own statement on Nassar or his decision to withdraw from the all-around, a US official told DailyMail.com at the time that Orris’ message “summarized everything Simone feels and means”.
On Saturday night, Biles made her first appearance since Tokyo in 2021, and her scores put her ahead of rivals Jordan Chiles, Katelyn Jong and Leanne Wong.
Biles scored a 14 on uneven bars, a 14.8 on balance beam, 14.9 on floor exercise and a 15.4 on vault.
It was an incredible comeback for Biles, given retirement seemed likely for the decorated gymnast – but she never retired from the doping pool, leaving the door open for a comeback with the Paris Olympics on the horizon. next year.
Anticipation of Biles’ return to competition has been building since she quietly entered the US Classic in June.
The US Classic is traditionally a tune-up event for the US Nationals in San Jose later this month.
The event itself is particularly special for Biles, given that in 2019 she landed a dizzying triple twist double tuck during a practice session for the competition – a move no woman had. never done before.
The 26-year-old regularly shares life updates with his NFL husband, Jonathan Owens
Biles has enjoyed life away from the mat but will now return to competition in August
It was first demonstrated by male gymnast Ri Jong-Song of North Korea, who showed it during a routine at the 2004 Athens Olympics, according to the United States Olympic Committee.
The impressive move involves doing two flips before entering three twists, while remaining in a tucked position.
Biles also used the Classic in his comeback encounter in 2018 after a two-year hiatus following his medal record in Rio de Janeiro.
It took her two hours to show she was still the benchmark in her sport, setting the stage for another spectacular run that included two more all-around world championships in 2018 and 2019 and three more national titles.
Biles, who married NFL star Jonathan Owens this spring, has become one of the most vocal advocates of athletes finding space to protect their sanity after his position in Japan brought the issue to the fore.
Biles is one of more than 150 gymnasts abused by former coach Larry Nassar over two decades
Biles performs at the US Classic just outside Chicago to a packed crowd
While the conversation around the subject is constantly evolving, Biles’ return to the sport she dominated for nearly a decade suggests an athlete who wants to date on her own terms.
Sunisa Lee, who won gold in the all-around final in Tokyo, will also be at the US Classic after spending two years competing at Auburn, where she helped spark a massive surge in interest in college gymnastics.
Lee missed the second half of her second year with the Tigers as she struggled with health issues, but is eyeing a return to the Olympics not to defend her all-around title, but to take another chance at winning gold on the uneven bars, her signature event.
She placed third on bars in Tokyo, thanks in large part to the attention she received after becoming the fifth consecutive American to win the Olympic title.