‘DWTS’ Alum Simone Biles Makes History as 8-time US National All-Around Champion
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images Reading Time: 2 minutes
Artistic gymnast Simone Biles is not the G.O.A.T. —greatest of all time—for nothing. The former DWTS celebrity has snatched a historic eighth national title on Sunday, August 27, in San Jose, California.
Simone Biles Wins Record Eighth US All-Around Title
Claiming three titles in one night, Biles made history as the first gymnast to win eight U.S. all-around titles. The 26-year-old athlete was also hailed as the oldest woman to ever win the championships, finishing 3.9 points ahead of Shilese Jones.
Biles captured her eighth championship title after breaking the record she shared with Alfred Jochim, who won his seventh all-around gold medal 90 years ago in 1933.
“I think it feels really special,” she said. “I’ve been doing it for so long, I feel like I don’t think about numbers, I think about my performance. And I think, overall, I hit eight for eight (routines). … I guess it’s a lucky number this year.”
Biles had made a long absence in competitive gymnastics after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Then, she suffered from what people call “twisties,” a mental block causing a gymnast to lose track of their positions in midair.
Since her senior debut in 2013, Biles is now holding 27 U.S. titles and 35 national championship medals overall. She was also named to the USA Gymnastics 2023-24 Senior Women’s National Team.
She Was a Fan-Favorite on Dancing With The Stars
For those who may not know, Biles had a competitive stint on DWTS back in 2017. In season 24, she was matched up with dancing pro Sasha Farber and became one of the fan-favorites throughout the show.
During their last performance, all judges gave them a score of 10. Such was their first ever perfect score they have received on the series.
In the end, the artistic gymnast finished fourth, a shocking news to fans and judges who expected her to win the Mirrorball trophy. While she admitted her disappointment over the results, Biles is nonetheless grateful for the journey.
“This is a journey that I’ve embarked on, and I’ve done things. I’ve never danced in heels, never danced with a guy, so I feel like I’ve won a lot. I’ve won a friendship for life [with Farber]; I’ve been non-stop since the Olympics. I’ll have a week off,” she said.
