Seven-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles is aiming to have a new gymnastics skill on the uneven bars named after her at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the International Federation of Gymnastics announced Friday.
The new skill is a variation on an element named after former Canadian gymnast Wilhelm Weiler, the Weiler-kip, which is when a gymnast circles the bar forward with a half-turn before rising up to a handstand. It's a move Biles has successfully performed many times in her career. Biles has also performed a Weiler-kip with a full single turn, a move that was named after Australia's Georgia Godwin this past season.
But the four-time Olympics gold medalist is pushing the envelope in Paris.
The new skill submitted by Biles is a clear hip circle forward with a 1.5 turns (540 degrees) to handstand. The FIG's Technical Committee has awarded the skill a difficulty value of E on a scale from A to J, giving it a difficulty value of 0.5.
Simone Biles has submitted an original skill on the Uneven Bars! 🚨#Paris2024 | #Gymnastics pic.twitter.com/OSaQCouvId
— FIG (@gymnastics) July 26, 2024
Biles will likely attempt the skill in the beginning of her uneven bars routine, when she typically performs the Weiler-kip. To have the move named after her, Biles must successfully complete it without a major fault during the competition in Paris.
She is one of four athletes seeking to have original elements named at the Paris Games, along with Brazil's Rebeca Andrade, and Netherlands gymnasts Lieke Wevers and Naomi Visser.
How many Gymnastics skills are named after Simone Biles?
Biles has five skills named after her in the Women's Code of Points, two vault skills, one balance beam skill and one floor skill. Only five-time Olympic gold medalist Nellie Kim has more moves named after her, with seven.
Should Biles successfully complete the Weiler-kip variation and have it named after her in Paris, she will be the only active gymnast with skills named after her in all four events. Svetlana Khorkina had achieved this feat previously in her illustrious career.
Biles, who has already impressed at practices in Paris, enters the Games seeking redemption after she withdrew from several events at the Tokyo Games due to mental health issues.
Biles and the rest of the USA gymnastics team will begin competing in Paris in the women's qualifying on Sunday.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Simone Biles to Attempt New Gymnastics Skill at Paris Olympics.
