Biles is truly brilliant but it's her fallibility that makes her the real GOAT

By James Toney in Paris

When they pen the legend of Simone Biles, they will write of this night as the greatest chapter of her story.

In sport's constant and sometimes tiring search for the perfect redemption arc, Biles scored a perfect ten, brilliantly landing the gold she craved most, the Olympic all-around title.

She wasn't flawless but she was still sensational and when she pulled a diamond necklace of a goat from her kit bag and flashed her megawatt smile, no-one was arguing.

From Olga Korbut to Nadia Comaneci, there have been many who have shattered conventions and rewritten the rules in this sport. However, Biles, the perfect fusion of artistry and execution, simply has no peer. Greatest of all-time? Without doubt.

"I know some people love the necklace and some people hate it, it's crazy I'm in the conversation as the greatest of all-athletes, I just think I'm Simone Biles from Spring, Texas who loves to flip," she said.

There were so many Star and Stripes in the Bercy Arena you could be forgiven for thinking you were in Paris, Ohio, about 150 miles north-east of Columbus, where Biles was born 27 years ago.

She took a big hop on landing her vault and nearly took a spill on her least favourite apparatus, the uneven bars, the action all live on Discovery+.

With two disciplines to come she was in bronze medal position but she responded to claim her sixth career Olympic gold medal, regaining the title she won eight years ago in Rio.

Great athletes have that innate ability to make the complex look simple but also give you a glimpse of their fallibility too.

You watched her balance beam routine afraid to breathe, a back flip, a spin, a front flip, a little wobble, a flying dismount and a nailed landing. Phew.

Gymnastics is all about the sequinned show and Biles is pure showbusiness, saving the best for last with a stunning floor routine, accompanied by a booming bass, though you didn't really need music to shake this place.

She hangs in the air like she's suspended in time, but when you watch you need to suspend your disbelief.

"I think I was praying to every God out there after the bars, I had to refocus and recentre myself because I was pretty disappointed with how I was going," she said, as Brazil's Rebeca Andrade took silver and team-mate Sunisa Lee bronze.

"Rebeca brought out the best athlete in me, I was stressing out there. I just knew if I did my work I'd be okay. I'm proud of the performance and the fight I've shown."

In Tokyo, Biles suffered from gymnastics' dreaded 'twisties' - a temporary loss of air awareness while performing acrobatic elements - and she dramatically withdrew on the eve of the same event.

She watched from the crowd, with scores of cameras trained on her every move, rather than those competing.

This time the fans came for her, including NBA star Steph Curry, skateboarding icon Tony Hawk, world golf number one Scottie Scheffler and one of the Kardashians.

"Three years ago I never thought I'd step on a gymnastics floor again but I've worked really hard mentally and physically, even at 7am this morning I was speaking to my therapist," she added.

"A mental injury is almost harder than physical, I've been in therapy religiously every Thursday and to see where I've grown from Tokyo, I'm just proud for putting in the work and never giving up."

Watch every moment of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 live only on discovery+, the streaming home of the Olympics.