Simone Biles captured her record ninth all-around national title at the US Gymnastics Championships on Sunday. Biles finished the competition with a combined score of 119.750 to beat Skye Blakely and Kayla DiCello, who came in second and third place respectively.
Biles ended up recording the top cumulative scores in the balance beam, floor exercise, uneven bars and vault events throughout the event.
"Today it's just getting out here and getting comfortable and confident in my gymnastics and hopefully going to Olympic trials and making that next step towards Paris," Biles told NBC Sports following her victory. "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."
The US Gymnastics Championships mark the final event for American gymnasts prior to the Olympic Trials later this month. Following the Olympic trials, the United States team will be chosen for the 2024 Paris Olympics, and the winner of the all-around competition gets an automatic spot on the team.
Biles is looking to bounce back in her return to the Olympics this time around. The legendary gymnast suffered from the "twisties" during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which is a mental state in which gymnasts lose track of their body positioning.
"Yeah, everyone says I look like I'm having fun so that's good because I feel like most of the time if I'm not stressing or having anxiety, I do feel like I'm having fun," Biles added. "So, it's good to have that and feel that again."
After taking a two-year hiatus from the sport, Biles returned to gymnastics competition in 2023 and won four gold medals and a silver medal at the world championships.
