Simone Biles’ Signature Moves That Solidifies Her Olympian Status

Simone Biles has already made history, and her position in the world of gymnastics has already been solidified. As a seven-time Olympic medalist, Biles has earned herself five complex gymnastics skills named in her honor. According to the International Gymnastics Federation Code of Points, athletes secure such accolades after being the first gymnast to perform a skill successfully. Additionally, they must be of a particular difficulty level in an international competition. So, of course, it’s a no-brainer that Biles secured multiple achievements with her undeniable athleticism. Let’s take a look at these “Simone Biles” skills:

Biles On The Floor 

The first skill honored with the Biles’ name is the floor move: a double layout with a half-twist in the second flip. The 27-year-old Olympian first debuted this move at the 2013 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships when she was only 16. Biles executed this move by keeping her body straight while she flips twice with a half-twist in the air. But what makes this move so difficult is the “blind landing.” For better words, Biles is unable to see where she is landing when coming down from the flip.

Biles II On The Floor

Simone Biles hits the unprecedented triple-double on floor exercise. pic.twitter.com/L5fu3OoiOm

— Nick Zaccardi (@nzaccardi) August 12, 2019

In October 2019, the “Biles II” was first mastered at the World Championship in Stuttgart, Germany. The move is a triple-double, where Biles flips twice while twisting three times. Biles is the first female gymnast to complete the triple-double, and according to Courtney Johnson, a USA Gymnastics-accredited judge, “The timing has to be good enough for you to still get that height in the air but also move your arms to start this spin-rotation part.”

Biles On The Vault 

Biles earned another accolade at the 2018 World Championship after completing the “Biles On The Vault.” The move is a Yurchenko half-on with two twists. The Yurchenko is a type of move named after Soviet gymnast Natalia Yurchenko and consists of a round-off onto the springboard with a back handspring on to the vault to follow up. The “Biles On The Vault” received a score of 6.4, making it one of the most challenging vault exercises in women’s gymnastics.

The Biles II On The Vault

The first woman in history to land a Yurchenko double pike in competition.

Our jaws are on the floor. @Simone_Biles is still in the air. #USClassic pic.twitter.com/CmJYRidtfo

— Team USA (@TeamUSA) May 23, 2021

In 2023, Biles landed the Yurchenko double pike at the World’s Artistic Gymnastics Competition in Antwerp, Belgium. She was the first woman to do so, requiring a backflip off the vault with two flips in the Pike position before landing.

The Biles On The Balance Beam

Also known as “The Biles,” this move features a double-twisting double backflip on a 4-inch wide balance beam. According to Team USA, Biles is the first gymnasts to complete the skill as she performed it at the international stage at the 2019 World Championships.