Gymnastics elements named after Simone Biles

There are currently four elements in the Women's Artistic Gymnastics Code of Points named after American gymnast Simone Biles: one on vault, one on balance beam, and two on floor exercise.

Vault

History

Biles debuted her vault, a roundoff, back handspring with half turn entry; front stretched somersault with 2 twists (an upgrade from the Cheng) at the selection camp for the 2018 World Championships.[1] During qualifications at the 2018 World Championships Biles successfully landed the new vault and it was therefore named after her and assigned a difficulty value of 6.4,[2] tying it as the most difficult vault in Women's Artistic Gymnastics with the Produnova.[3] As of January 2021 Biles is the only woman who has performed the Biles vault.

Balance Beam

History

Biles first started training the double-twisting double-tucked salto backwards dismount off of the balance beam in 2013;[4] however she never performed it during the 2013–16 quad including the Olympics. Prior to making her comeback Biles posted a video, teasing new upgrades including the double-double dismount off of the balance beam.[5] Biles debuted the new dismount at the 2019 U.S. National Championships.[6] She submitted it as a new skill at the 2019 World Championships where it was given the rating H, the highest rating of any skill performed on the balance beam. Biles expressed disappointment at the skill being undervalued, citing similar maneuvers on different apparatuses and their ratings:[7]

"The full-in (full-twisting (1/1) double tucked salto backwards) is an E on floor and a G on beam. That's a two-tenths rise. The double-double on floor is H, three-tenths higher, so Biles believes the move on the beam should also be three-tenths higher than a G."

USA Gymnastics backed Biles, also expressing that the skill did not received the rating it merited.[8] The FIG explained that the reason for the lower than expected rating is due to safety concerns due to the "added risk in landing of double saltos for Beam dismounts (with/without twists), including a potential landing on the neck."[9] Many people made counterpoints to the FIG's concern over safety. British gymnast Ruby Harrold made the point that FIG does not "allow a warm-up immediately prior to event finals"[10] and others cited how Jamaican gymnast Danusia Francis has frequently been denied being able to have an extra mat to make her balance beam dismount safer.[11][12] Others argued that Biles is being penalized for being able to safely perform skills that are so difficult that it would be reckless for other gymnasts to even attempt them.[13]

Despite the rating controversy, Biles successfully performed the new dismount during qualifications at the 2019 World Championships and the skill was therefore named after her.[14]

Floor Exercise

History

Biles debuted her new floor exercise skill, a double layout with a half twist, at podium training for the 2013 U.S. Classic, eight years after London Phillips competed it domestically in 2005.[15] Biles was able to successfully compete the skill at the 2013 World Championships and the skill was therefore named after her.[16] Six years later Trinity Thomas performed the Biles successfully at the 2019 U.S. National Championships, becoming the third woman to compete the skill.

History

Biles first started training a triple-twisting double-tucked salto backwards (upgraded from a Silivas) in 2013.[17] During podium training at the 2019 U.S. Classic she performed it; however she did not perform it during the competition.[18] The first time Biles competed the maneuver in competition was at the 2019 U.S. National Championships. She joined the likes of Ri Jong Song of North Korea and Kenzo Shirai and Kohei Uchimura, both of Japan, in becoming one of only a handful individuals who has successfully performed the skill.[19]

At the 2019 World Championships Biles successfully competed the skill during qualification and it was therefore named after her and given the rating J, making it the highest rated skill across all apparatuses in Women's Artistic Gymnastics.[14]

While no other woman has yet competed the skill as of January 2021, American gymnasts Jade Carey and MyKayla Skinner have posted videos of them training the skill.[20][21]

References
  1. "ICYMI, Simone Biles Dropped A Game-Changing New Vault At This Week's Selection Camp". Team USA. October 13, 2018.
  2. "Simone Biles Gets A Vault Named After Her Just 24 Hours After Going To The ER For A Kidney Stone". Deadspin. October 27, 2018.
  3. "Simone Biles' New Vault Will Destroy the Competition". Slate. October 29, 2018.
  4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCYkYG1bPJU
  5. "Simone Biles Has Some New Tricks". Deadspin. April 23, 2018.
  6. "Simone Biles just became the first gymnast to land a double-double dismount, and it's incredible". CNN. August 10, 2019.
  7. "Simone Biles blasts 'unfair,' 'bulls---' point value assessed to her new element for worlds". Yahoo! Sports. October 3, 2019.
  8. USA Gymnastics [@USAGym] (October 4, 2019). "USA Gymnastics statement regarding the double-double beam dismount valuation" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. "Statement on the value of Simone Biles' submitted original element on Balance Beam". International Gymnastics Federation. October 4, 2019.
  10. @RubyHarrold (October 6, 2019). "This is hilarious bc you condemn this as "recklessness" but don't allow a warm-up immediately prior to event finals ??" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. @danusiafrancis (April 4, 2019). "When your praying to the gym Gods for FIG to allow you to have an extra mat for your beam dismount" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. @RedRock406 (October 4, 2019). "If safety is so important, how come you won't let Danusia Francis have an extra beam mat?" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  13. Armour, Nancy (October 4, 2019). "Opinion: Simone Biles penalized for having skills other gymnasts can't pull off". USA Today.
  14. "Simone Biles gets two more skills named after her at gymnastics worlds". The Guardian. October 5, 2019.
  15. "Simone Biles' New Skill – Check Out Who Performed This Eight Years Ago! And Some Pre-Meet Thoughts On The U.S. Classic". American Gymnast.
  16. "Simone Biles Wins World All Around Title". FloGymnastics. September 25, 2013.
  17. "Simone Biles: Triple Double Tumbling Pass!". FloGymnastics. July 24, 2013.
  18. "Simone Biles Could Become First Woman to Do This Difficult Gymnastics Movement in Competition". People. July 23, 2019.
  19. "Simone Biles Has Changed Gymnastics Forever". Slate. August 12, 2019.
  20. "Gymnast Jade Carey Steps Up To Show A Triple-Double Of Her Own In Training Video". Team USA. August 21, 2019.
  21. "In The United States Of Triple-Doubles, MyKayla Skinner Is The Latest To Show Landmark Gymnastics Skill". Team USA. September 2, 2019.
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