Simone Biles and Kyla Ross reunite in Antwerp 10 years after World Artistic Gymnastics Championships 2013
Simone Biles and Kyla Ross, the two American gymnasts who competed in their first world championships at the 2013 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, reunited in Antwerp after a decade.
Biles competed in the 2013 World Championships as a 16-year-old. She won four medals, including two gold medals in the women's floor exercise event and the women's individual all-around event. She further went on to bag a silver medal in the vault and a bronze medal in the Balance beam.
Along with Biles, Ross bagged three silver medals for Team USA. She clinched a medal in the all-around, where she started by executing a double-twisting Yurchenko on the vault, and the other two medals in uneven bars and balance beam.
Biles was competing in Antwerp in the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championship and Ross, who is now an assistant coach for the gymnastics team at the University of Arkansas, was present in Antwerp.
Biles took to social media to share a picture of the two gymnasts returning to the same venue after 10 years.
"Back in Antwerp 10 years later," she wrote.
At the 2012 London Olympics, Ross was a member of 'Fierce Five' team that won a gold medal in the women's team event.
"I didn't think so either" - Simone Biles on competing at her first international competition after a two-year hiatus
Simone Biles withdrew from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as she was experiencing twisties. After competing in the qualifications, she stepped down from the finals stating mental health reasons.
Following the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Biles took a break from competitive gymnastics only to return at the 2023 U.S Classic held in August, at the Now Arena in the Hoffman Estates in Illinois.
On her comeback, the 26-year-old displayed an exceptional performance by securing three gold medals in individual all-around, balance beam, and floor exercise events. She also bagged a bronze medal in uneven bars. A few days before her remarkable performance at her comeback, she wasn't sure if she ever would be competing at any competitive events.
In her first international competition after the break, at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, she bagged five medals. When a user on Twitter expressed,
"Remember like five months ago we didn’t think Simone would ever compete again".
She replied,
"Real talk I didn't think so either"