Simone Biles claims gold as Nemour places fifth in all-around gymnastics at Paris 2024

American reclaims individual crown while Algerian youngster shows rich promise

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  USA's Simone Biles celebrates winning the gold medal at the end of the artistic gymnastics women's all around final. AFP

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  Simone Biles, left, hugs second-placed Brazil's Rebeca Andrade. AFP

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  US' Simone Biles competes in the floor exercise. AFP

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  Kaylia Nemour, left, of Algeria, and Simone Biles, of the United States. AP

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  Algeria's Kaylia Nemour competes in the floor exercise. AFP

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  Algeria's Kaylia Nemour competes in the balance beam. AFP

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  Kaylia Nemour of Algeria competes in the floor exercise. Getty Images

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  Kaylia Nemour of Algeria reacts after finishing her routine on the uneven bars. Getty Images

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Simone Biles recaptured the Olympic gymnastics all-around crown at Paris 2024 on Thursday, with Algeria's rising star Kaylia Nemour finishing in a highly-commendable fifth place.

Biles, who withdrew from multiple events at the Tokyo Games three years ago with the disorientating "twisties", followed up team gold with the United States earlier this week. Brazil's Rebeca Andrade took silver and defending Olympic champion Sunisa Lee grabbed bronze.

The 27-year-old Biles became the first gymnast to reclaim the individual title, which she first won at the 2016 Rio Games.

Nemour, 17, lifted herself into contention after a breathtaking uneven bars routine, scoring 15.533, to move into second at the halfway point, but she couldn't maintain her position, slipping to fifth after the beam and her floor routine in what was surely the first of several Olympic finals to come. The teenager will be among the favourites for gold in the apparatus finals on her signature uneven bars.

Biles capped her performance with another dazzling floor routine, her high-flying tumbling bringing the crowd to its feet.

It earned her 59.131 points to finish 1.199 ahead of Andrade with 21-year-old Lee taking bronze with her own superb floor routine, having trailed in fourth going into the final rotation.

The United States have now won the event six times in a row - and a record seven times overall.

Biles has won a total of nine Olympic medals, including six golds. Her confidence was best summarised by her 'GOAT' necklace - a nod to her being considered the greatest gymnast of all time.

"My GOAT necklace - some people love it, some people hate it," said Biles. "It is crazy I'm in the conversation of greatest of all athletes because I'm just Simone Biles from Spring in Texas.

"Three years ago I never thought I'd step on a gymnastic court again, but worked hard, mentally and physically, even saw my therapist this morning, just making sure I'm mentally well."

She could yet add three more golds in Paris as she competes in the apparatus finals on the vault, floor exercise and balance beam.

Once again the stars were out, with Team USA basketball stars Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry watching at Bercy Arena along with France's own NBA legend Tony Parker and footballing great Zinedine Zidane.

On her first rotation, Biles opened with her stunning Yurchenko double pike vault - now known as the Biles II - to the delight of the crowd. She moved 0.666 points ahead of Olympic vault champion Andrade, who scored 15.100 for her perfectly-executed but technically less challenging Cheng.

Biles led after the balance beam, finishing with a massive smile and high-fiving her teammates and coaches as she received a standing ovation for an effort worth 14.566. She had a slim margin of 0.166 on Andrade, who had a few wobbles on the beam, with all to play for heading into the floor routine finale.

Biles finished with a flourish on the floor where she won Olympic gold in 2016, drawing gasps from the crowd with her gravity-defying jumps including two of her own skills. Andrade, 25, knew she had been well beaten and the Brazilian, the Tokyo silver medallist, went over to congratulate and hug her rival even before the winning score of 15.066 flashed up.

Biles becomes the third woman to win two Olympic all-around gold after Larisa Latynina of the Soviet Union and Czech Vera Caslavska.