Simone Biles won a record ninth all-around title at the U.S. gymnastics championships on Sunday, and her family’s reactions were pure gold.
The four-time Olympic gold medalist competed in Fort Worth, Texas, over the weekend ahead of the Paris Olympics, finishing with an all-around score of 119.750. No other gymnast in U.S. history has won more than seven national championships, according to The Associated Press.
In footage of her floor routine posted by NBC Sports, Biles’ family members, including her mom, Nellie Biles, and her husband, NFL player Jonathan Owens, could be seen watching and cheering in the stands. Her beaming mom appeared to be in tears after the exercise’s dazzling finale.
Biles, the most decorated gymnast of all time, is seeking to return to the Olympics next month, after a disorienting bout of the “twisties” led her to drop out of several events at the Tokyo 2021 games.
“Today, it’s just getting out here, getting comfortable and confident in my gymnastics, and hopefully going to Olympic trials and making that next step towards Paris,” Biles said Sunday, per NPR.
“So I couldn’t be more proud of how I’m doing this time in the year, and just gaining that confidence over and over, getting myself back in front of a crowd, and just doing what I do in practice.”
Biles’ win has secured her spot at the U.S. Olympic trials, which will be held in Minneapolis from June 27-30.
