Simone Biles Executes Triple Backflip And Has Viewers Rubbing Eyes In Disbelief

Sep 25, 2020 by apost team

For anyone interested in gymnastics, September 19th is a special day every year. That's because it is National Gymnastics day. Without question, one of the most accomplished and well-known gymnasts of our time is Simone Biles. Many have gone so far as to refer to her as the greatest gymnast of all time. One of the hallmarks of her greatness is that she never resists the urge to push herself to the next level. For her next trick, she has been working on something truly special and revolutionary for the field.

Her newest innovation is a triple backflip. To be clear, this incredible move consists of three flips in the air without stopping. Biles not only managed this but did so in a piked position without her knees even bent. To be technical, this makes her move a triple pike instead of a triple tuck. And any gymnast will tell you that that makes the feat even more impressive.

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How impressive is this move? Well, to give you a sense, a triple backflip doesn't even exist in the current version of the Code of Points for women's gymnastics. In short, for some time it has been believed that such a move was impossible for women. The wording here is purposeful. That's because there is some inherent sexism in the scoring systems.

The triple backflip does exist in the men's Code of Points. There, it's referred to as the "Liukin", named after famed Olympian Nastia Liukin’s father, who was the first athlete to ever properly perform the move at an officially sanctioned competition.

In this initial practice, Biles performed the incredible move into a foam pit, rather than attempting to stick the landing. However, reviewing the footage will show that she clearly has enough height and power in her jump to clear the jump onto the floor. She simply has to calibrate the landing and prefers to play it safe until then.

Biles is likely practicing this move to add it to her floor routine for the upcoming Olympic Games. If she manages to pull it off, it will be a world-first and will require the judging panel to find a way to accommodate a previously un-accounted-for move.

It's no surprise that Biles would be the first female gymnast to pull it off, however, She is the most decorated gymnast in the history of the World Championship. Her moves are so revered that she has not one, but four skills named after her.

The upcoming Olympic Games is shaping up to be one of the most spectacular in history. Because of the pandemic, the games were postponed to protect the safety of the athletes and fans alike. This has meant that all of the athletes will have more time than anticipated to work on their routines, training, and skills. You can be sure that none of the aspiring medalists are slacking off during this time, Biles included.

Other moves we might see from Biles at the upcoming games include her trademark triple-double off-beam dismount, or one of her unique high-flying tumbling passes. Regardless of the routine she composes, it is sure to be one of the most spectacular to ever be performed at the games.

The skill and determination required to perform such a move are undeniable even if you are not an active follower of gymnastics. It is a constant thrill to see the limits of the sport pushed farther and farther, whether it be Bile's triple pike backflip or any other new move.

What's your favorite gymnastics routine or innovation to ever hit the mat? Let us know in the comments! Don't forget to send it on to a friend.