With a stunning beam routine, preceded by thunderous applause at the Bercy arena, American gymnast Simone Biles made her triumphant return to the Olympic stage. Three years after the mental health crisis that led her to withdraw from the Tokyo 2020 competition and step away from gymnastics for two years, Biles is back.

Her withdrawal was one of the most significant moments highlighting the mental health struggles faced by elite athletes. She ended her Tokyo journey on the balance beam, and fittingly, she made her return on the same apparatus in Paris during the team qualifying round. Her champion-worthy routine earned her 14.733 points.

Following performances by her teammates Jordan Chiles, Hezly Rivera, and Sunisa Lee, the gymnast, often hailed as the greatest of all time, approached the beam with focus. She made her chalk marks, sat on the mat, and waited for her turn. All eyes, cameras, and phones were on her, drawn to her like a magnet.

Wearing the number 391 and dressed in a black leotard with silver accents, Biles mounted the apparatus with confidence. She executed flawless pirouettes, connected elements seamlessly, and finished with a perfect double backflip dismount.

Finally, she smiled as she raised her arms and ran to embrace her coach, Cecile Landi, who was jumping with joy. Biles brilliantly picked up the thread she left in Tokyo, where she had withdrawn from the finals after the qualifying round due to her struggles. She returned on the last day for the beam final, winning a bronze medal, her last Olympic podium finish until now. She then focused on her mental recovery.

The 27-year-old gymnast from Houston is the current world champion. Her impressive record includes four Olympic golds, one silver, two bronzes, and 30 World Championship medals, 23 of which are gold.