Simone Biles secured her seventh Olympic gold medal by winning the women’s vault final at the Paris Games on Saturday. The 27-year-old gymnast achieved an average score of 15.300 for her Yurchenko double pike and Cheng vaults, earning her second vault gold, eight years after her victory in Rio de Janeiro.
Rebeca Andrade of Brazil, who was Biles’ runner-up in the all-around final, claimed the silver medal, narrowly ahead of American Jade Carey, who took bronze.
Biles is now the second woman to claim two Olympic golds in vault, following Vera Casalavska of Czechoslovakia, who won in 1964 and 1968. Biles has accumulated 10 Olympic medals, tying for the third most by a female gymnast, and her total medal count at major international events has reached 40, surpassing any other gymnast.
Spectators at Bercy Arena cheered as Biles, wearing a sequined red leotard, was introduced. She showcased her skills with a stunning Yurchenko double pike, receiving a score of 15.700 despite a minor out-of-bounds penalty. Her second vault, a nearly flawless Cheng, earned her a score of 14.900, ensuring her victory.
Andrade, the vault champion from Tokyo, executed two strong vaults to secure silver, marking her third medal of the Paris Games. Carey, who had placed eighth in the Tokyo vault final, achieved her third Olympic medal following her gold on the floor exercise in Tokyo and team gold with Biles earlier in the week.
Biles will compete in the balance beam and floor exercise finals on Monday, aiming to add to her medal tally.
In other events, Rhys McClenaghan of Ireland won the country’s first Olympic gymnastics medal with a pommel horse score of 15.533. American Stephen Nedoroscik, also known as “Pommel Horse Guy,” earned bronze with 15.300 points, while Nariman Kurbanov of Kazakhstan took silver with 15.433 points.
Carlos Yulo brought home the second Olympic gold medal for the Philippines, edging out defending champion Artem Dolgopyat of Israel in the men’s floor exercise finals. Yulo’s score of 15.000 narrowly surpassed Dolgopyat’s 14.966, with Britain’s Jake Jarman taking bronze at 14.933. Yulo joins weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz as Olympic gold medalists from the Philippines.