Latest news with #TheBalance:MyYearsCoaching
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Simone Biles' first vault attempts were so bad they earned her 'zeroes'
FILE - Simone Biles, of the United States, competes during the women's artistic gymnastics individual balance beam finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. The photo was part of a series of images by photographer Francisco Seco which won the Thomas V. diLustro best portfolio award for 2024 given out by the Associated Press Sports Editors during their annual winter meeting. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File) Simone Biles is known worldwide for her incredible feats in gymnastics, vaults that defy gravity, and moves that leave spectators breathless. But before she became a household name, before her vault was so iconic it carried her name, Simone's journey was defined by struggle, mistakes, and perseverance. It was a path that began with two unforgettable moments that would change her forever: the infamous "zeroes" on the vault. A Humble Start: The First 'Zeroes' Before Simone became the most decorated gymnast of all time, she was just a girl with raw energy and an innate talent for the sport. Aimee Boorman , who became her first coach when Simone was just eight years old, remembers the early days well. They were full of potential, but also marked by a lot of trial and error. One particular moment in Simone's second competition stands out. At this stage in her career, Simone was still figuring out how to control her boundless energy. Boorman recalls the scene in her memoir, The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles: 'She was joking around a little bit before she saluted, and on her first run, she sprinted down the runway but tried to stop herself at the last second. She threw her hands in front of her body, belly-sliding on the vault, but didn't actually go over the vault table. Zero.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Have A Computer, This Adventure Game Is A Must-Play. Adventure Game Play Now Undo FILE - United States' Simone Biles listens to her coach Aimee Boorman during the artistic gymnastics women's individual all-around final at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File) Imagine that, one of the most famous athletes in the world today, at one point, receiving a zero score for an attempt on the vault. But it didn't end there. In her next attempt, Simone threw herself into the move with all the energy she could muster, launching herself off the springboard as though she were trying to fly. She soared over the vault, leaving it far behind, her body twisting in the air as she struggled to regain control. Once again, the result? Another zero. These early failures could have been discouraging, even devastating. But in these moments, something remarkable happened. Rather than be defeated, Simone got back up, laughed, and kept trying, a pattern that would define her future success. A Spark That Would Not Be Extinguished For Aimee Boorman , those early zeroes didn't signal failure. Instead, she saw something powerful in Simone: an unshakeable spark. 'She was this little girl with a kind of energy and curiosity that I had never seen before,' Boorman recalls. Despite the belly-flops and setbacks, Simone's spirit never wavered. She wasn't just learning the mechanics of gymnastics; she was developing the resilience and determination that would carry her through countless challenges in the years ahead. Every fall, every mistake, Simone would get back up with more purpose. This willingness to face failure head-on and not just face it but learn from it , became the cornerstone of her eventual greatness. Boorman could see that this was no ordinary young gymnast; there was something special about Simone. It wasn't just the raw talent or the spring-loaded legs, it was the mindset. Simone had the fire to push through every obstacle, and that fire would eventually blaze its way to the top. Redemption on the Vault: The Yurchenko Double Pike Fast forward to the 2024 Paris Olympics , a defining moment in Simone's career. The stage was set for her to make history again, but this time, it wasn't just about winning. It was about redemption, about proving to herself and the world that she could master the vault that once had eluded her. With two gold medals already in her grasp, Simone returned to the vault for one last challenge. The vault, the very same apparatus where she once earned zeroes, would now be the stage for her redemption. As the crowd buzzed with anticipation, Simone prepared for her signature move: the Yurchenko double pike. This vault is a monster of a skill, so difficult it carries a 6.4 D-score, nearly a full point higher than any other vault in the competition. Few gymnasts have even dared to attempt it, let alone land it. But for Simone, it was more than just a move; it was a statement. As she sprinted down the runway, the atmosphere in the arena was electric. The spotlight was on her, the world waiting to see if she could conquer the vault once and for all. With precision and strength, Simone launched herself off the springboard, her body twisting and flipping through the air in the signature double pike. As she soared, it was as if gravity no longer applied to her. The landing was flawless. There were no wobbles, no hesitations, just a perfect stick that would go down in history. The scoreboard flashed a score of 15.600. It wasn't just a number; it was a symbol of Simone's growth, her unyielding determination, and the years of hard work that had led to this moment. She had proven that she could master what she once failed. The world had watched her fall, but now they were witnessing something extraordinary: the rise of a champion who had never stopped fighting. A Champion Defined by Grit, Growth, and Determination Simone's journey from those early zeroes to her gold-medal vaults at the Olympics is a story of resilience and unrelenting determination. In the early days, when she could have given up, she chose to learn and grow. Her coach Cecile Landi , who took over Simone's training as she prepared for Paris 2024, spoke about how Simone had been practicing the Yurchenko double pike with such dedication that she no longer needed anyone by her side for reassurance. "Right now she's doing more of the double pike,' Cecile remarked in May 2024. 'I think she just wants to do it without Laurent standing on her by the side. She's ready for it.' And ready she was. At the Core Hydration Classic just a week before the Olympics, Simone proved she was prepared. With no coach standing by her side, no Laurent Landi on the podium, Simone took to the vault with a confidence that radiated from every move. She launched herself into the air, executed the vault to perfection, and stuck the landing as if she had done it a thousand times before. The crowd erupted, and the gymnastics world knew that Simone had come full circle — from the girl who once belly-flopped on the vault to the woman who could command it with unparalleled skill.
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Simone Biles' ex-coach reveals gymnast's battle with 'twisties' before winning four gold medals in 2016
Simone Biles ' infamous battle with the 'twisties' at the COVID-delayed 2020 Tokyo Games was not her first experience with the potentially dangerous mental block, according to a new book from her longtime coach. The most decorated athlete in the sport's history, Biles ' Olympic dreams were nearly dashed ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics when she first began to battle the mid-air phenomenon that leaves gymnasts disoriented at the most precarious moments. As coach Aimee Boorman explained in 'The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles,' the issue arose six months before the start of the Olympics. 'Yep, before Simone introduced the world to the twisties in 2021, she had experienced this proprioception phenomenon in January of 2016,' Boorman wrote, as quoted by ESPN. 'When this happens to a gymnast who is flipping ten-plus feet in the air and they lose body awareness in space and time – not knowing if they're going to land on their back, feet or head – it's much more dangerous [than the 'yips' in baseball or golf].' When the 'twisties' would strike Biles 'would physically stop herself from twisting during her routines because she was afraid of getting lost in the air.' 'Simone would never crash; she would just stop herself before ever attempting a twist,' Boorman added. Simone Biles with the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award attends the Winners Walk during the 2025 Laureus World Sport Awards winners walk at Palacio De Cibeles Boorman says she resisted the urge to pressure Biles and instead took a patient approach with someone who already had a growing collection of trophies. 'She was already the back-to-back-to-back world champion,' she wrote. 'Simone knew how to twist.' With the help of family, her therapist, and hands-off Boorman, Biles ultimately fixed the issue to win the first four Olympic golds of her career. 'Simone needed time, support and reassurance that I believed in her,' Boorman wrote. Biles, who had not previously revealed her 2016 battle with the 'twisties,' wrote the forward to Boorman's book. 'Coach Aimee and I have a special bond,' Biles wrote. 'She always did what was best for her athletes personally, even if someone told her it might not work. ... Coach Aimee understands that every athlete works, processes instruction and learns differently, and she caters to that.' Co-written by Boorman and journalist Steve Cooper, 'The Balance' was set for release on Tuesday. Biles appeared to dash hopes that she could make a return to the Olympic stage on home soil when Los Angeles hosts the Summer Games in 2028. Following a historic year that saw the gymnastic icon cement herself as the greatest of all time with three more gold medals in Paris to add to her Olympic haul, Biles was named Sport's Illustrated's 2024 Sportsperson of the Year in January. However, after being announced as the recipient of SI's honor, she cast doubt on a potential return. 'Life and death,' she told SI when asked what it would have to signify for her to return to the Olympic stage in LA. 'Because I've accomplished so much, there's almost nothing left to do, rather than to just be snobby and to try again and for what? I'm at a point in my career where I'm humble enough to know when to be done.'
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Simone Biles' coach says gymnast suffered from ‘twisties' before 2016 Olympics
Simone Biles appeared untroubled by the 'twisties' at the 2024 Olympics. Photograph: Andre Weening/Orange Pictures/REX/Shutterstock Simone Biles suffered from the 'twisties' in the run-up to the 2016 Olympics, five years before the condition severely disrupted her performance at the Tokyo Games. Aimee Boorman, Biles's longtime coach, outlines the story in her new book, The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles. The twisties cause gymnasts to lose their orientation while in the air, a dangerous situation in a sport where falls can cause serious injury. The condition, along with mental health concerns, caused Biles to withdraw from all but one final at the Tokyo Olympics, where her only medal was a bronze on the beam. Advertisement However, Boorman says Biles suffered from the twisties before her Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, when her four gold medals propelled her to worldwide fame. Related: Simone Biles' twisties: mental block which puts gymnasts at serious risk 'Before Simone introduced the world to the twisties in 2021, she had experienced this proprioception phenomenon in January of 2016,' Boorman writes in her new book. 'When this happens to a gymnast who is flipping 10-plus feet in the air and they lose body awareness in space and time – not knowing if they're going to land on their back, feet or head – it's much more dangerous [than the 'yips' in baseball or golf].' Boorman, who coached Biles from the age of seven until the end of the 2016 Olympics, said the American had experienced the twisties after feeling pressure at the 2015 world championships, where she won four golds. Advertisement '[Three months after the 2015 world championships] Simone couldn't twist – on basically anything,' Boorman writes. '… [She] would physically stop herself from twisting during her routines because she was afraid of getting lost in the air. Simone would never crash; she would just stop herself before ever attempting a twist.' Boorman said she did not want to rush Biles back into attempting twists but the gymnast eventually regained her ability to do so in time for the 2016 Olympic trials after talking with her family and therapist. 'Thankfully the twisties had passed without injury,' Boorman writes, 'and in the process, we demonstrated that an elite gymnast can avoid training elements for weeks without losing their skills.' Biles has not publicly commented on Boorman's claims but wrote the foreword to the new book. Biles did not appear to have any issues with the twisties at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, where she won three golds. The 28-year-old has 11 Olympic medals and 30 from the world championships, making her the most decorated gymnast in history. She has not ruled out competing at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
The Guardian
21-04-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Simone Biles' coach says gymnast suffered from ‘twisties' before 2016 Olympics
Simone Biles suffered from the 'twisties' in the run-up to the 2016 Olympics, five years before the condition severely disrupted her performance at the Tokyo Games. Aimee Boorman, Biles's longtime coach, outlines the story in her new book, The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles. The twisties cause gymnasts to lose their orientation while in the air, a dangerous situation in a sport where falls can cause serious injury. The condition, along with mental health concerns, caused Biles to withdraw from all but one final at the Tokyo Olympics, where her only medal was a bronze on the beam. However, Boorman says Biles suffered from the twisties before her Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, when her four gold medals propelled her to worldwide fame. 'Before Simone introduced the world to the twisties in 2021, she had experienced this proprioception phenomenon in January of 2016,' Boorman writes in her new book. 'When this happens to a gymnast who is flipping 10-plus feet in the air and they lose body awareness in space and time – not knowing if they're going to land on their back, feet or head – it's much more dangerous [than the 'yips' in baseball or golf].' Boorman, who coached Biles from the age of seven until the end of the 2016 Olympics, said the American had experienced the twisties after feeling pressure at the 2015 world championships, where she won four golds. '[Three months after the 2015 world championships] Simone couldn't twist – on basically anything,' Boorman writes. '… [She] would physically stop herself from twisting during her routines because she was afraid of getting lost in the air. Simone would never crash; she would just stop herself before ever attempting a twist.' Boorman said she did not want to rush Biles back into attempting twists but the gymnast eventually regained her ability to do so in time for the 2016 Olympic trials after talking with her family and therapist. 'Thankfully the twisties had passed without injury,' Boorman writes, 'and in the process, we demonstrated that an elite gymnast can avoid training elements for weeks without losing their skills.' Biles has not publicly commented on Boorman's claims but wrote the foreword to the new book. Biles did not appear to have any issues with the twisties at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, where she won three golds. The 28-year-old has 11 Olympic medals and 30 from the world championships, making her the most decorated gymnast in history. She has not ruled out competing at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
