Simone Biles submits new original uneven bars element ahead of Paris Olympics
Simone Biles already has five gymnastics elements named after her. Now, she is going for another.
The American superstar submitted an original skill on uneven bars to the International Gymnastics Federation on Friday. It makes her one of the four female gymnasts who may attempt new elements during the Paris Olympics.
The new skill in Biles' supposedly "weakest" event is a clear hip circle forward with 1.5 turns — or 540-degree pirouette — to a handstand. The IGF said it is a variation of an element named for Canadian gymnast Wilhelm Weiler, which Biles has performed many times before during her career.
The federation said if Biles attempts it during competition, it will likely be at the beginning of her uneven bars routine, which is when she typically performs the Weiler.
USA Gymnastics teased the move on social media Friday.
The uneven bars are considered the "weakest" of Biles' events in the sense that just one of her 37 Olympic and world championship medals have come from bars. She remains one of the top Americans on the event, though USA Gymnastics co-lead Chellsie Memmel said this week the Americans could sit Biles out of bars during team finals to give her a small break during the games.
Biles has two elements in Women's Code of Points named after her on vault – including the complex Yurchenko double pike, which she completed during training this week. The move is considered the most difficult vault in women's gymnastics, and it was renamed the Biles II in 2023, after she became the first woman to land it in an international competition. It requires a round-off entry onto the springboard, a back handspring onto the vaulting table and two flips with straight legs.
The 27-year-old also has two elements named after her on floor exercise and one on balance beam. She is looking to become the only active gymnast to have an eponymous skill on all four events.
In order for the move to be named for her, Biles will have to perform it without a major fault at some phase of the competition in Paris.
The other athletes aiming to have original elements named at Paris 2024 include Rebeca Andrade of Brazil, who submitted a Yurchenko triple twist on vault, and Leike Wevers and Naomi Visser of Netherlands, who will attempt a triple turn with leg held at horizontal on floor exercise. The IFG said if both gymnasts successfully do the element during the games, it will bear both their names.
