Simone Biles Says Goodbye to Her Signature Jump

Rest in peace, signature jumper Simone Biles.

This week, the Olympic gold medalist said goodbye to the “world’s hardest jump” in a satirical video Instagram photoshoot. To announce that she would not be performing Yurchenko’s double jump, also often known as “Biles II,” the Olympian held a “funeral,” posing for the jump in an all-white tracksuit, surrounded by a slew of white flowers.

“Rest in peace, Yurchenko, double peak,” Biles wrote. post.

According to NBC Sports analyst and former Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez, Yurchenko’s double jump is probably the most difficult moves in the game, requiring tremendous strength and technique.

“The only way I could describe this place compared to what we usually see is like someone putting on a mask and saying, ‘I’m a vigilante,’ and not just Iron Man,” Hernandez said. Today.com. “You have to be strong to be able to brace yourself for impact. You have to be strong to be able to hit the table, brace yourself and get enough height to do one more spin, and then be really smart in the air and have that sense of air awareness that Simone is famous for… I can’t say it enough, it’s really hard. It’s incredibly hard.”

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Biles surprised fans when she performed the move for the primary time on the GK US Classic in May 2021. Her execution of the unprecedented move helped her win the all-around title in that competition. However, throughout the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (which were held in 2021 due to the pandemic), Biles was forced to withdraw from the ultimate competition after experiencing “spindly turns” during her vault. “Spindly turns,” which she describes as a moment “when your mind and body are disconnected,” are a gymnastics phenomenon that may lead to serious injuries.

While navigating the turns, Biles performed the move again on the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Belgium, prompting fans to rename the jump in her honor. The same move helped Biles win three gold medals on the 2024 Paris Olympics. While the gymnast’s fans were shocked by her decision to stop performing the move, they loved Biles’ comedic announcement.

“Gone but literally never forgotten,” USA Gymnastics commented under the post.

While Biles has not confirmed whether she is going to compete within the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, she says her plans for the near future are to “relax and see where life takes me.” In the meantime, encourages fans to watch for the 2024 Paralympic Games, currently going down in Paris.