Simone Biles wins vault for 3rd gold of Paris Games
Team USA star Simone Biles took home the gold in the women’s vault on Saturday to add to her glowing return to the highest stage in gymnastics.
Brazil's Rebeca Andrade, who also finished as the runner-up to Biles in the all-around, took the silver.
Fellow American Jade Carey earned bronze after a devastating error in Tokyo cost her a chance at a medal in the event.
The U.S. has had a sterling performance in gymnastics so far in the Paris Games. The U.S. women's gymnastics team won gold in the all-around team final on Tuesday, followed by a gold for Biles and a bronze for Suni Lee in the individual all-around competition on Thursday.
After falling backward during her warmups on her Yurchenko double pike -- officially known as the Biles II -- she stuck it during the competition. She scored a 15.700, with the only blemish being her foot slightly out of bounds.
On her second vault, she scored a 14.900 to give her an average of 15.300.
Andrade took to the runway after Biles knowing she would struggle to match Biles based on her vaults' start values. Still, Andrade stuck her first vault for a score of 15.100 and her second for a score of 14.833 -- and average of 14.966.
Carey was out for redemption after she tripped during an approach in the vault competition in 2021. Going last in the competition Saturday, she put down two strong vaults for an average score of 14.466.
The win by Biles brings her total Olympic medal count to 10 overall, including three from the Paris Games.
Biles earned her eighth Olympic medal on Tuesday in the team all-around to become the most-decorated American gymnast in history, breaking a tie with great Shannon Miller. She added her ninth in the individual all-around competition on Thursday.
The win was redemption for Biles, who lost to Andrade in the vault competition at world championships last year when she fell backward on her first attempt.
Biles also won gold in the vault final in Rio in 2016. Andrade won the vault in Tokyo when Biles pulled out of the competition.
