Follow the latest news on the 2024 Paris Olympics
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.
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Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
DMZ facts
- The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
- It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
- The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
- It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
- Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
- Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
- Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012.
- Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
