Simone Biles admits she had 'something to prove' at the 2024 Paris Olympics after 'twisties' sent her home from Tokyo

Simone Biles was lost in Tokyo, but tonight she was very much found in Paris when she was restored as an Olympic Golden Girl once more.

After suffering from the 'twisties' in Japan, she was back to her brilliant best as she led Team US to gold on Tuesday. 

The United States women's gymnastics team secured gold in the team competition here with a score of 171.296, blowing the opposition away by finishing 5.802 ahead of second place Italy. Brazil took bronze.

The US led all the way and never looked like being beaten and as gold was confirmed, shouts of 'USA, USA, filled the Barcy Arena.

Film director Spike Lee clearly agreed that Simone had to have it he waved his fists in jubilation. Seated close to him were Natalie Portman and former Olympic champion Serena Williams.

The U.S. recorded the highest score on all four rotations and returned to Olympic champions. The team had to settle silver in Japan after Simone withdrew suffering stress.

The Americans previously won team gold at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and have won every team World Championship since 2011.

Simone said the pressures were different tonight, but her experience helped her deal with it.

'In 2016 we were destined to win gold and everybody said we were destined to win gold, so whenever we went out there we did our job and we did win gold.

'We were a little young and naïve so it didn't hit the way that it does now. Now that I am much older and we have so much more experience and we are out here really having fun and enjoying what we are doing.

'So I think it is just different and it is not to say that I wasn't shocked that we won because it was still super surprising, my first gold medal ever. It was so exciting. But I think the pressure was so on for us to win gold so we did just did what we were supposed to do.

'Even going into tonight, we just did what we had to do, but it just felt a little bit different. It was super exciting, we had fun out there and we just did our gymnastics.

Simone added: ‘We're super excited. We're honored to represent the US every time we get on a world stage but accomplishing that gold and that goal was just an amazing feeling.

‘I think we all had something to prove from Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and tonight we did just that.

‘It means the world. This was our goal going in, even though we didn't share it with everybody because it's just a personal thing that we were working on. But I think for everybody it's what we came here to do. And we're super excited to walk away with that gold medal.

Joran Chiles said: ‘We all have been putting in the work in and out of the gym. Whether it was mental or whether it was physical. This team is just so amazing. I'm very proud of them. There's things within ourselves that we are going to take care of. From there on we have accomplished great things.’

Teammate Sunisa Lee added that among the first things she did after gold was secured was to congratulate Simone.

‘I think I speak for everyone when I say that we're all so proud and just so happy for Simone. I went to her and said, 'You did it'."

Hezly Riverra who won gold in her first Olympics said:’It's been such an amazing experience. I can't believe I'm here. Winning a gold medal is everything I ever wanted, so this is just such an amazing experience.

'I‘m so excited and happy for this team because we all came through and pushed and worked hard, mentally and physically to be here.’