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On Aug. 5, multi-decorated Houston Olympic gymnast Simone Biles ended her two-year hiatus from the floor by emerging victorious at the 2023 U.S. Classic held at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, IL. Biles has been on hiatus from the sport since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
"Happy to be back out on the floor! This journey has been a rollercoaster of emotions. Thank you for believing in me," Biles wrote in an Aug. 6 Twitter post.
According to an Associated Press (AP) report that was run by Houston CBS affiliate KHOU Channel 11, 732 days had passed between Biles’ triumph in suburban Chicago and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics the COVID-19 pandemic postponed to the summer of 2021. The AP reports that Biles registered a score of 59.100, which was considered the best of the evening.
ESPN reports that the 26-year-old four-time Olympic gold medalist took the all-around, balance beam, and floor titles despite being nearly four months removed from her return to training.
"I think the night went really well," Biles told ESPN. "Everything has fallen into place. I feel really good about where I am right now, mentally and physically. There are some things to work on in my routines, but for the first meet back, I would say it went pretty well."
Per the AP report, aside from a black-and-white bedazzled leotard, Biles had on a necklace that bore her new husband’s surname, which she removed before competing. She and Green Bay Packers and former Houston Texans safety Jonathan Owens tied the knot earlier this year following a year-long engagement. Both ESPN and AP report that the venue was sold out, with fans carrying signs of support and encouragement for Biles, whose medal count is at more than 20. Biles had experienced the “twisties,” or the loss of spatial awareness while airborne, at the most recent Summer Games, which apparently took a toll on her mental health and prompted her to temporarily take a break from the sport.