POPSUGAR

Even in Slow Motion, Simone Biles's Triple-Double Seems to Defy the Laws of Physics

Jul 20 2021 - 6:37pm

Simone Biles could post a video of herself opening the mail, and I would be captivated. This legendary gymnast has seven national championships [1], five Olympic medals, and several signature moves [2] that bear her name — and she's poised to make history yet again [3] at the Tokyo Olympics. But if at times you find Biles's power and speed to be a bit dizzying, you'll want to feast your eyes on this slow-motion video from NBC Olympics [4] (and then promptly pick your jaw up off the floor).

The video shows Biles performing her triple-double on floor at the US Olympic Trials. A triple-double is when a gymnast completes two backflips [5] — in this case, in a tucked position — while twisting three times in the air. It sounds simple enough in theory, but it's extremely difficult to do. Biles is the first and only woman gymnast so far [6] to land a triple-double on floor.

It's cool seeing Biles perform this skill on TV, but because she's only in the air for about 1.18 seconds [7], it can be hard for your eyes to keep up. She just looks like a wonderful blur before she sticks the landing. That's why this video is so mesmerizing — you can see every tuck, flip, and twist, and for just a moment, it feels a bit like she's suspended in midair.

We already know Biles is the GOAT [8], and this fantastic slow-motion video just reinforces that. I'll be watching it on repeat until I can see Biles compete in the Olympic Games this month.


Source URL
https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/simone-biles-triple-double-slow-motion-video-48404502