Some fans have questioned whether this setback would make Biles too old or too tired to repeat the dominance she demonstrated as a gold medalist at 19 and four times at the 2016 Olympics.
Turns out she’s even better now than before – both herself and her sport are pushing to new heights (literally).
Here are some of the amazing skills Biles has introduced since her last Olympic gold medal – and how she has learned to excel despite severe personal trauma.
The triple-double on the ground (les Biles II)
Biles got her start with so much daredevil stuff, she now has four skills that officially bear her name.
She unleashed one of them at the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Kansas City, Missouri – a double triple twist backflip on the floor.
This challenge of physics and gravity is called the Biles II. This is because Biles already had a floor exercise skill named after him, which
she showed at the 2016 olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The original “Biles” is a
double backflip with an added half-twist in mid-flight. He has a blind landing, which means the gymnast cannot see the ground before landing.
The double-double of the balance beam
Yet another skill called the Biles – this one off the beam – is so difficult and dangerous, some say its namesake was penalized in points for performing it.
This “Biles” involves bouncing off a 4 inch wide balance beam and descending with two twists and two backflips. It’s so risky that the point value for difficulty has been downgraded to deter less competent gymnasts from trying it.
But at the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, Biles didn’t just prove this feat was possible –
she also nailed the landing.
The fascinating ‘Biles’ vault
Even though Biles could win competitions without inventing new skills, she often pushes herself harder with mind-blowing tricks that the world has never seen before.
Behold the Biles (jump): A flare on the springboard, a half twist before hitting the vault table, then a front flip with 2 1/2 twists (fully stretched) and a blind landing.
Do not try this at home.
The double layout, double tuck
After the postponement of the 2020 Olympics, Biles didn’t just crouch in front of the TV.
She trained harder and tested more skills, like double lay, double insert.
This means jumping through the air, doing two backflips without bending your body, landing, and then immediately launching into two backflight somersaults in flight.
Yurchenko’s double pike vault
In his latest flex, Biles showed off a jump that had never been attempted by a woman in competition.
At the GK US Classic in Indianapolis on Saturday, Biles performed a double pike Yurchenko jump. It’s a roundabout on a springboard, a backward dive on the vaulting table
and two full backflips in the difficult pike position.
The safe takes on immense power and strength. “Only a handful of men have done it,” said Olympic gold medalist and NBC sports commentator Tim Daggett. “And she does it better than them.”
More than gymnastics
In recent years, Biles has also been a strong supporter of survivors of sexual abuse after saying she was one of dozens of young women and girls sexually abused by former US gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.
Even though she’s still competing, Biles called USA Gymnastics for failing to launch an independent investigation into the Nassar scandal.
And as athletes grapple with derailed plans and uncertainty over the Tokyo Olympics, Biles and many others have started to help those affected by the pandemic.
She has partnered with Athletes for Covid-19 Relief, which supports the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s Covid-19 Response Fund.
Anyone who donates over $ 25 has a chance to win a Biles autographed leotard or other autographed items donated by dozens of famous athletes.
“In a crisis like this, everyone wants to jump on their feet and help out, and I had that opportunity,” Biles told NBC’s “Today” show.
“By donating this leo, it will ensure that children are not late for school and that small businesses are up and running.”
CNN’s Adam Renuart contributed to this report.
