Simone Biles Drops 4-Word Message as Clemson Tigers’ Gymnast Performs the Biles First Time in NCAA History

How often does gymnastics witness a moment so groundbreaking that even Simone Biles takes notice? Not often. It took first in NCAA history! What? The Biles I, one of the sport’s hardest skills, was attempted and landed flawlessly. Yes! Under the Friday night lights, history was rewritten. The Clemson crowd held its breath as a Tigers gymnast sprinted down the runway, launched into the air, and stuck the impossible. A skill so rare that only four women had ever completed it. But now, college gymnastics had a new groundbreaker—and the GOAT herself had something to say!

That trailblazer? Brie Clark. The Clemson redshirt junior delivered the performance of her life at Littlejohn Coliseum, leaving the crowd in awe in a dominant win over Texas Woman’s University and the University of New Hampshire. Biles, who first performed the skill over a decade ago, doesn’t hand out praise lightly. But seeing Clark land it flawlessly in a NCAA meet for the first time in 12 long years? That deserved a response! Simone Biles took to Instagram story to share the video and her caption wrote: “I KNOW THAT’S RIGHT (clap emoji)”.

And yes, Biles knows a thing or two about it! She was just a teenager—fresh off her first national title—when she stunned the world at the 2013 World Championships. That night, she soared across the floor, twisting through the air with a double layout that ended in a blind half-turn. The move was so daring, so technically brilliant, that it earned a name of its own.

What makes The Biles I so terrifying? Unlike a regular double layout, where gymnasts rotate twice before landing, this version demands something extra—a half-twist added while still in the second flip. That means Clark wasn’t spotting the floor until the very last millisecond. One miscalculation? A crash landing. One hesitation? Disaster.

Yet, when Brie Clark launched into the skill, there was no doubt. She twisted, she flipped, and when her feet hit the mat? Perfection. History in Collegiate Gymnastics and 5 overall to do so after Simone Biles, Trinity Thomas (USA), Hillary Heron (PAN), and London Phillips (USA).

Five iconic Gymnastics elements that bear Simone Biles’ name

There’s something special about a gymnast pushing the limits of human possibility, defying gravity, and stamping their name into history—literally. Simone Biles has done that not once, not twice, but five times! Five skills across different events have her name on them, a feat that strengthens her as the GOAT. But what makes these skills so special? And how did she get them?

Biles I (Floor Exercise)

It was 2013. A 16 year old Simone Biles stepped onto the world stage, a newbie to many but already a big deal. Then she did something no one had ever seen before—soared through a double layout, twisted mid air, and landed with precision. The crowd gasped, the judges took note, and they forever named the skill the Biles I.

A double layout with a half twist on the second flip; this was her signature—power, control, and innovation. It was the first skill to bear her name, but as history would prove, it was just the beginning.

Biles I (Vault)

Fast forward to 2018. Biles, already a legend, debuted a new vault at the World Championships. This vault starts with a roundoff on the springboard, a half-twist before mounting, and finishes with a front somersault, double twist. The judges took note. The world took note. It was given a difficulty rating of 6.4, tying it with the Produnova as the second-most difficult vault in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics.

Biles (Balance Beam)

The balance beam is where gymnasts show their grace under pressure. But Biles? She turned it into a show. she did a skill that looked almost impossible—a double twisting double salto dismount, the hardest beam dismount ever done at the time. Biles first unveiled this skill in 2019 before performing it at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials. According to USA Today, she no longer competes the Biles beam due to its low scoring value. FIG’s decision to assign an H difficulty rating sparked controversy, with many arguing it was undervalued.

Biles II (Vault)

What’s harder than a Yurchenko vault? A Yurchenko double pike—a move so dangerous no woman had ever attempted it. Until Simone Biles. At the 2021 US Classic, she surprised the world by completing this impossible skill. Two pike flips after launching off the vault? Unthinkable—until she did it. She made history again in 2023 when she landed it at the World Championships and officially put her name on the hardest vault in women’s gymnastics.