"I had a cut on my eye actually"- Simone Biles reveals truth behind "emotional" picture of her at World Championships

Day Seven - 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships
Gold medalist Simone Biles reacts during the medal ceremony for the Women's All Around Final at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium.

Simone Biles proved her gymnastics prowess yet again after winning her sixth all-around world title at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships held in Antwerp, Belgium from September 30 to October 8, 2023.

Biles went on to secure two more gold medals in the balance beam and floor exercise, and a silver medal in the vault event.

During the medal ceremony for the women's all-around final, Biles was seen rubbing her eyes. In an interview with The Today Show, the 26-year-old clarified that she was emotional but not enough to cry and was rubbing her eyes as she was facing an issue.

"I definitely was emotional but not to the point of tearing up," Biles expressed.

She stated that she had a cut in the eye while performing her routine on the bars.

"The doctors looked into my eyes and somehow I had cut my eye. But I think since the bars are brand new, sometimes they flake off and like they had been falling in our eye so I had a cut in my eye actually," Biles explained.

Valentina Rodionenko wants the rules to be changed following Simone Biles' victory at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships

Simone Biles performs her Beam routine during the Women's Beam final during the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, BelgiumDay Nine - 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships
Simone Biles performs her Beam routine during the Women's Beam final during the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, BelgiumDay Nine - 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships

Simone Biles stunned the gymnastics world again by displaying a power-packed performance at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, and earned well-deserved praise.

But Valentina Rodionenko, Russian gymnastics head coach, wasn't the one to admire Biles. According to Rodionenko, Biles' performance won merely because of the level of difficulty and had no artistic element to it.

“I want to express my regrets about Biles' victory,” she said. “She has no great performance, only difficulty. She only wins through difficulty," she said in an interview with Match TV.

The Russian stated that she would like the International Gymnastics Federation to change the rules relating to the way judges score a routine.

“We will now submit these questions to the International Federation,” stated Rodionenko. "What should prevail? Beauty and high level of performance while respecting the rules. Or will we only follow the path of complexity? So what will artistic gymnastics look like?"

Quick Links

App download animated image Get the free App now