American gymnast Simone Biles has won a record 14th world title as she took gold in the individual floor exercise at the World Gymnastics Championships in Doha.
That gold was her fourth of the competition and her sixth medal overall. She became the first gymnast in three decades to win a medal in every attempt in which she participated. The six-medal haul in Qatar puts her level with legendary Russian gymnast Svetlana Khorkina but with Biles aged just 21, meaning it’s very likely that she will become the most decorated women in a World Championship Gymnastics history.
The Championships were her first competitive gymnastics in 18 months and if her achievements weren’t incredible enough, she was also suffering from a kidney stone during her events.
Despite her great success, Biles was frustrated at the reactions her performances garnered on social media. After succumbing to Lui Tingting on the balance beam, taking a bronze medal, she wrote on Twitter: “just saying, I get to decide when I have a disappointing performance. Not y’all. Over a year out of the sport. Barely a year back in and my first big competition. I’m proud of myself!”
She later added: “It is upsetting for me when I see tweets after my performances of how disappointed people are of me, because they can’t set the expectations – that is down to me.”
