• Sports

Chicago, US, Jun 2 (EFE).-

Simone Biles, the most decorated American gymnast, won a record-extending ninth national championship on Sunday after breaking Alfred Joachim’s 77-year-old record of seven titles last summer.

Biles had an outstanding performance in Fort Worth, Texas in what was her last test ahead of the United States Olympic team trial scheduled for June 27-30 in Minneapolis.

Biles, the winner of four Olympic gold medals, finished her performance with a total of 119.750, almost six points ahead of second-place finisher, Skye Blakely.

The third position went to Kayla DiCello.

Biles entered the day with a solid lead after totaling 60,450 points on Saturday.

Biles’ triumph, which was witnessed by her family from the stands, adds to the titles she won in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023.

With less than a month left until the final trials in Minneapolis, Biles has continued to accelerate toward her return to the Olympics stage.

Before her comeback to gymnastics in August 2023, Biles had taken time to focus on her health, going on to become one of the most vocal advocates of athletes’ rights.

The American gymnast also reported on her social media that she was engaged to Jonathan Owens, a player for the Houston Texans in the NFL, whom she married on Apr. 24, 2023.

Biles returned to competitive gymnastics on Aug. 5, 2023, in Chicago, where she triumphed after 732 days of absence with an outstanding performance.

She won with 59,100 points, 5,000 ahead of Leanne Wong. EFE

am/am/pd