Simone Biles Once Revealed Why She Felt Fully Ready for the Yurchenko Double Pike
November 3, 2018 - Doha, Qatar - SIMONE BILES smiles from the awards podium following the Women s Floor Exercise Event Finals competition held at the Aspire Dome in Doha, Qatar. 2018 World Gymnastics Championships - ZUMAs146 20181103_zap_s146_026 Copyright: xAmyxSandersonx
November 3, 2018 - Doha, Qatar - SIMONE BILES smiles from the awards podium following the Women s Floor Exercise Event Finals competition held at the Aspire Dome in Doha, Qatar. 2018 World Gymnastics Championships - ZUMAs146 20181103_zap_s146_026 Copyright: xAmyxSandersonx
The Yurechenko double pike is what most would consider the hardest move in all of women’s vaulting. But 11-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles pulled it off, becoming the first female gymnast to successfully perform this vault in international competition.
She achieved this feat at the U.S. Classic on May 23, 2021, in Indianapolis. Biles decided to add it to her routine in 2021. Speaking to PEOPLE in June 2021, she discussed why she felt confident performing the vault.
"[I knew] it was going to be fine because in training I had done it so many times," Biles stated. "I do it every other day. And for the last couple of months, shoot, I would say like four months we've done on competition surface. So I felt pretty confident."
February 13, 2026, Milan, Lombardy, Italy: Artistic Gymnastics legends SIMONE BILES of USA attends the Free Skating program in the Men Single Skating of the Figure skating, Eiskunstlauf at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, Olympische Spiele, Olympia, OS Milan Italy - ZUMAc179 20260213_oly_c179_220 Copyright: xMickaelxChavetx
February 13, 2026, Milan, Lombardy, Italy: Artistic Gymnastics legends SIMONE BILES of USA attends the Free Skating program in the Men Single Skating of the Figure skating, Eiskunstlauf at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, Olympische Spiele, Olympia, OS Milan Italy - ZUMAc179 20260213_oly_c179_220 Copyright: xMickaelxChavetx
Using the pandemic year to practice the move, she debuted it at the 2021 event. Months of practice led to her achieving a provisional score of 6.6. Many have argued that this doesn’t correctly reflect how difficult the move actually is.
But Biles added another layer of difficulty to the vault, elevating the move with an extra flip.
Biles elaborated on her process of preparation in her interview with PEOPLE.
"Before it was just kind of working on that vault for my block, for my other vaults. And then we got a little bit more serious. I was like, 'Okay, I think I can compete this.' And then that's where it landed us to last week and me competing it in competition."
Soviet Union world champion Natalia Yurchenko first introduced the move in the 1980s. It involves a round off onto the springboard, which is followed by a hand backspring to find the gymnast on the vaulting table. Biles followed this with a double flip with her legs in pike.
This is not the only move Biles does that shocked the world.
Simone Biles: Several Moves, One Name
Biles perfection of the Yurchenko Double Pike led to it being named the“Biles II”. Her namesake doesn’t stop there, as four other moves are named after the legendary gymnast.
Biles debuted The Biles (Floor) at the 2013 World Championships at only age 16. It involves a double layout with a half-twist in the second flip, and was the very first move named after her.
The 2018 World Championships saw Biles perform a half-twist onto the vaulting table, followed by a front double full somersault to finish the move. This was named the ‘Biles (Vault)’ in her honor.
She didn’t stop there and created ‘The Biles II (Floor)’, which involves two flips as well as three twists. She made history with this move at the 2019 World Championships.
For the fourth feather in her cap, Biles performed ‘The Biles (Beam)’, which was once again perfected at the 2019 World Championships. She dismounted from the beams with two twists and two flips.
Biles has not officially retired from the sport, and fans are hoping for a potential return for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Do you think Simone Biles is the greatest female gymnast to ever perform on the international stage? Let us know in the comments.
