Decorated gymnast Simone Biles recently sat down with PEOPLE, where she spoke on performing the breathtaking Yurchenko Double Pike.
During the interview promoting the forthcoming Athleta Presents Gold Over America Tour (G.O.A.T.), Biles said that having extra time to work on the Yurchenko Double Pike gave her the courage to try it in competition.
“Before, it was just kind of working on that vault for my block, for my other vaults,” Biles explains. “And then we got a little bit more serious. I was like, ‘Okay, I think I can complete this.’ And then that’s where it landed us to last week and me competing it in competition.”
The impressive vault usually ends at a single flip. However, for Biles’ version of the move, she incorporates an extra flip, adding another tier of complexity to the stunt. Before Biles perfectly landed the Yurchenko Double Pike last month, no female gymnast had ever performed the trick in competition.
The 24-year-old says that while she still gets nervous before competing, she “felt a hundred percent confident” that she could safely land the stunt.
Biles was given a provisional score of 6.6 in the U.S. Classic for performing the act, which some believe is too low and does not reflect the trick’s difficulty. Biles says it does “suck” to have her hard work scored so low, she knows she can “still evolve” and is now hoping to have the move named for her.
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