She had already broken records in the vault final, individual all-around, and the team event with Team USA, and she had also won gold in the solo event.
With her eleven medals, including seven golds, Biles has become the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history. She became the oldest American gymnast to win an Olympic gold medal at the age of 27, as well.
Instead of sadness, Biles exhibited pride as she reflected on her career. For both the Olympics and her sport as a whole, she achieved more than she had ever imagined, she told reporters.
Considering that I didn’t believe I’d be back in the Olympics a few years ago, I’m not upset that I got four medals after competing. I’m pleased with how things turned out.
For Biles, the record for most Olympic gold medals by a woman might have been tied if she had triumphed in both the beam and floor routines.
With nine gold medals each, Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina and American swimmer Katie Ledecky hold the record. To try to accomplish that feat, Biles will have to hold off until the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
