Simone Biles is so back! On May 20, Biles, one of the greatest gymnasts of all time, made an epic return to the competition floor when she competed in the Core Hydration Classic at the XL Center arena in Hartford, Connecticut. Not only did she slay each event of the meet, but she also did so with major comeback-era flair, especially with her gold medal-winning floor routine that had a special twist: It used an iconic Taylor Swift song, “…Ready For It?”
Biles stepped onto the the competition floor in a fuchsia leotard covered in silver rhinestones on the sleeves and bodice, a design similar to her 2013 Under Armour outfit for the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship, thus paying homage to her first event as senior competitor over a decade ago. As Biles began her floor routine, the audience quickly recognized the electropop and deep bass of the inaugural track on Swift’s sixth album, Reputation, as the backing instrumentals for Biles’ performance — and fans cheered on the icon as she completed the routine that ended with her landing the gold medal. She also earned silver medals in the uneven bars and balance beam, and won the all-around for the whole meet, with a score of 59.500.
Biles’ song choice may be a sign that the six-time World all-around champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist is embracing a new era as she prepares for her bid for the 2024 Paris Olympics. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, she decided to withdraw from competing in order to protect her mental health. But after taking time to rest and heal, she’s back and ready for another round — much like Ms. Swift was when she came out with Reputation in 2017.
Biles’ performance in Connecticut furthers her chances in being selected to compete in the Paris Olympics, which take place July 26 to Aug. 11. The gymnast is scheduled for one more event, the U.S. Championship in Fort Worth, Texas, from May 30 to June 2 at Dickies Arena, before participating in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Minneapolis at the Target Center from June 27 to June 30.