Simone Biles’ breathtaking return adds a new layer to her unique legacy

Back from a two-year post-Olympics break, the American’s astonishing displays show she’s still the world’s best gymnast

After the misery of cheering from the stands as her opponents took all the medals she was there to win, Simone Biles’ Tokyo Olympics in 2021 ended on an unforgettable note of defiance. She had suffered throughout the competition with the twisties, a severe mental block that causes a gymnast to lose air awareness when twisting, but Biles returned on the final day and demonstrated her resilience by winning bronze on the balance beam. She described the medal as more meaningful than her countless golds.

For almost two years, it was unclear whether that moment in Tokyo would be Biles’ final as an elite gymnast. Yet she returned and on Sunday at the World Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, the American will compete at a major competition for the first time since the Olympics, the next step in what has already been a remarkable comeback and has added another layer to her story.

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