Simone Biles has bid farewell to her iconic Yurchenko double pike vault, also known as the “Biles II.” In a humorous Instagram photo shoot posted on Monday, September 2, the 11-time Olympic medalist hinted that she would no longer perform the beloved skill.
“Rest in peace yurchenko double pike ??” the Olympic vault gold medalist, 27, wrote alongside two images.
Dressed in a pristine white tracksuit, Biles posed atop a vault surrounded by funereal white flowers in a playful Instagram post. The gymnast’s fans and friends were delighted by the humorous farewell to her iconic skill.
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“I’m dead. You win (obvi),” 2008 Olympic all-around gold medalist Nastia Liukin commented, while USA Gymnastics offered its own eulogy: “Gone, but literally never forgotten.”
The “Biles II,” renowned as the world’s most difficult vault, involves a round-off entry, a back handspring onto the apparatus, and two flips. Officially renamed for Biles after her successful landing at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Belgium last fall, this skill helped Biles secure three gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the team, all-around, and vault finals.
Biles, currently recovering from a calf injury sustained during the Paris Olympics, is gearing up for the Gold Over America tour starting September 16.
Headlining the “pop concert-style spectacle,” Biles will showcase her legendary skills alongside other Team USA gymnasts, including Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, Hezly Rivera, Fred Richard, Paul Juda, and Brody Malone.
As the Olympic star prepares to kick off the Gold Over America tour, her husband, Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens, is set to begin the NFL season. This means the couple will spend more time apart.
Just days before the Bears’ game against the Tennessee Titans on September 8, Biles shared a heartfelt Instagram Stories tribute to Owens, writing, “see you in a few weeks ??.”
