Simone Biles became the most decorated gymnast in history after sealing her sixth career world all-around title at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp.
The tournament marks the American’s return to major international competition after a two-year absence, and on Wednesday she led her team to a record seventh straight title.
Biles’ golden comeback continued in record-breaking style as she finished with a top score of 58.399, 1.633 points above Brazilian silver medallist Rebeca Andrade with compatriot Shilese Jones rounding out the top three.
![Simone Biles took gold in Belgium](http://content.assets.pressassociation.io/AP/2023/10/06/b96333d82dfe47ba924e8bb4de407810.jpg?w=640)
Friday’s medal was Biles’ 34th at an Olympics or World Championship, the most achieved by a male or female gymnast in the history of the sport after surpassing the 33 achieved by Belarusian Vitaly Scherbo.
The 26-year-old’s historic gold came precisely 10 years – and in the exact same venue – as her first world all-around title in 2013 and she appeared to be welling up when the American national anthem played.
Biles told NBC: “I was emotional because it was my first worlds here 10 years ago, and then now my sixth one, so it is crazy.
![Simone Biles cries on the podium](http://content.assets.pressassociation.io/AP/2023/10/06/e8ea00af45a64388b7017b8797b51ad0.jpg?w=640)
“But I swear, I do have something in my eye that’s been bothering me for like four hours, and I cannot get it out. So while I was looking up there, it was like a combination of both.”
Biles could still add more medals to her collection with the individual apparatus finals still to come on Saturday and Sunday – Biles has qualified for all four.
There was drama for Great Britain before the all-around competition even got under way.
Jessica Gadirova, the 2022 world floor champion, dropped out of the event at the last minute, British Gymnastics announcing the decision in a tweet which read: “Update. As a precautionary measure Jessica Gadirova will not be competing in tonight’s all-around World final, Alice Kinsella will now compete in her place for Great Britain.”
Big shout out to Alice Kinsella who steps in to compete in tonight’s all-around final 🇬🇧 We’ll provide an update on Jess when we can for you 💕 pic.twitter.com/I0mBjPyQ4v
— British Gymnastics (@BritGymnastics) October 6, 2023
Kinsella ultimately finished seventh with a score of 54.032, while team-mate Ondine Achampong placed 13th in her first world all-around final.
Kinsella, the 2023 British national all-around champion, admitted the dramatic call-up came as a shock.
She told the BBC: “I only went (out) to do little bits and bobs like stretching, conditioning, and then I went off to get my foot rubbed, then my coach came over and was like, ‘Alice, you need to get your leotard on straight away.’
“I was a bit stressed, I didn’t really know what to do or say to anyone. I just ran to the toilet, shoved it on, and that was it really.”
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