Pretty soon, a vault that she occasionally tinkered with for fun — the Yurchenko double pike — started to look like something she could pull off in competition.

So what if it had only historically been done by men? So what if the International Gymnastics Federation seemed intent on not giving the vault a difficulty value commensurate with its complexity?

The vault exists. She can do it. So, why not? She didn't stick around for another year just to fool around. She stuck around to keep making history.

So she did. Again.

Hands seemingly magnetised to her hamstrings as she soared off the vaulting table, Biles drilled the Yurchenko double pike during her victory at the US Classic on Saturday night.

The 24-year-old defending world and Olympic champion generated so much momentum she took a couple of big hops upon landing before letting out a semi-relieved smile.

"I've been working so hard on it in the gym and to finally just put it out in a competition was really nice. So I feel pretty confident going into championships," Biles said.

The sport's Code of Points lists the start value for the Yurchenko double-pike at 6.6 — just a tick above significantly less-difficult vaults.

"That's on the [International Federation of Gymnastics], that's not on me," Biles said.

"They have an open-end code of points and now they're mad people are too far ahead and excelling."

No one in the sport has ever excelled as much as Biles.

Her all-around score of 58.400 in her first event in more than 18 months was easily the best of the night, even though she shorted her dismount on the floor exercise and sailed off the uneven bars.

"I'm not really mad about today," she said.

No need to be.

After teasing the Yurchenko double-pike for the better part of a year and then unveiling it during training on Friday — a move that caught the attention of people like NBA star LeBron James — Biles made it official in front of the women trying to join her on the Olympic team this summer.

Wearing a white leotard with a rhinestone goat — a nod to her status as the Greatest of All-Time — Biles sprinted down the runway, did a roundoff onto the springboard followed by a back handspring onto the vault, finishing with two backflips with her legs ramrod straight and her hands clasping the back of her legs.

It wasn't quite perfect. No worries, she'll get more chances over the next two months.

Even though she doesn't agree with the way it's being judged, she has no plans to stop throwing it.

"I know it's not the correct one, but I can still do it," Biles said.

"So why not just show off my ability and athleticism?"

Same as it ever was for Biles, whose spot on the US Olympic Team — and in gymnastics history — is assured.

Source | AP