- 2016 Rio Summer Olympics games: Biles wins record-equalling fourth gold with floor victory
- 8/17/16
Biles wins record-equalling fourth gold with floor victory
Simone Biles was at her inspired best during the floor exercise as she claimed a record-equalling fourth gold at Rio 2016 on 16 August.
A day after a wobbly performance on the beam ended the American's hopes of leaving Rio with an outright record haul of five golds for a female gymnast, she was back on form to capture the floor title with 15.966 points.
Despite claiming that her legs felt “rock hard” going into the event, the 19-year-old served up a powerful display of acrobatics and tumbling that nobody else in the final could come close to matching. Aly Raisman completed a one-two for the USA with a score of 15.500, while Great Britain’s Amy Tinkler (14.933) took bronze.
“I'm a little bit relieved because it's been a long journey,” reflected Biles. “I've enjoyed every single moment of it and I know our team has. It's been very long and, competing so many times this week, it kind of got tiring. We just wanted to end on a good note.”
“To think what I've done, it’s been an amazing experience and I don't think I could be more proud of myself, she said, quickly rejecting any notion that she might dwell on the fifth gold that got away. “If at your first Olympics you walk away with five medals, that's not tough at all. Especially four being gold, that's just unheard of. I'm very proud.”
Raisman, who added to her gold in the team event and silver in the individual all-around, and with Gaby Douglas was the only remaining member of the US gymnastics team that won team gold at London 2012, said she might now consider a tilt at Tokyo 2020, when she will be 26.
“Never say never,” she said. “I don't want to look back on 2020 and say, 'What if I had tried.' I was in what I thought was the best shape of my life in 2012 and now it's even better here. Maybe I just get better with age!”