Simone Biles defied a kidney stone to become the first female gymnast to win four all-around world titles, on this day in 2018.

Such was the American’s dominance of her sport, she could afford a series of uncharacteristic mistakes in Doha without feeling unduly threatened by her rivals, with Japan’s Mai Murakami taking silver more than one and a half points behind.

Victory gave Biles her 12th world gold medal and her second of the championships. She went on to collect six in total – four golds, one silver and one bronze.

However, after claiming the all-around title, she insisted: “I’m definitely more upset with myself than happy. It’s not who I am go out and bomb a meet like that.

“Even though I still won, I wish it had been something different. It kind of sucks that I did so bad and still won. You have to earn it and I don’t think I earned it tonight.”

Biles’ success was all the more remarkable given her admission to hospital the night before the qualifying round, but she refused to use her continuing discomfort as any kind of excuse.

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“If it had been a challenge for me, I wouldn’t have competed at all, rather than blame it on the kidney stone,” Biles added.

“I think finals will definitely cheer me up because I get to redeem myself and show people who I really am.”

Biles took a two-year break from competition following the Tokyo Olympics, during which time she announced she would be working on her mental health and also gave evidence to Congress over the abuse she suffered at the hands of disgraced doctor Larry Nassar.

Simone Biles became the most decorated gymnast in history after sealing her sixth career world all-around title at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp.

The tournament marks the American’s return to major international competition after a two-year absence, and on Wednesday she led her team to a record seventh straight title.

Biles’ golden comeback continued in record-breaking style as she finished with a top score of 58.399, 1.633 points above Brazilian silver medallist Rebeca Andrade with compatriot Shilese Jones rounding out the top three.

Friday’s medal was Biles’ 34th at an Olympics or World Championship, the most achieved by a male or female gymnast in the history of the sport after surpassing the 33 achieved by Belarusian Vitaly Scherbo.

In a serendipitous twist, the 26-year-old’s historic gold came precisely 10 years – and in the exact same venue – as her first world all-around title in 2013.

Biles could still add more medals to her collection with the individual apparatus finals still to come on Saturday and Sunday – Biles has qualified for all four.

There was drama for Great Britain before the all-around competition even got under way.

Jessica Gadirova, the 2022 world floor champion, dropped out of the event at the last minute, British Gymnastics announcing the decision in a tweet which read: “Update. As a precautionary measure Jessica Gadirova will not be competing in tonight’s all-around World final, Alice Kinsella will now compete in her place for Great Britain.”

Kinsella ultimately finished seventh with a score of 54.032, while team-mate Ondine Achampong placed 13th in her first world all-around final.

Kinsella, the 2023 British national all-around champion, admitted the dramatic call-up came as a shock.

She told the BBC: “I only went [out] to do little bits and bobs like stretching, conditioning, and then I went off to get my foot rubbed, then my coach came over and was like, ‘Alice, you need to get your leotard on straight away.’

“I was a bit stressed, I didn’t really know what to do or say to anyone. I just ran to the toilet, shoved it on, and that was it really.”

Simone Biles won her 20th World Gymnastics Championships gold medal as the United States secured victory in the women’s team final in Antwerp.

Marking her return to major international competition after a two-year absence, the 26-year-old led her team to a record seventh straight title ahead of silver medallists Brazil and third-placed France.

Biles has already qualified for the women’s all-around final in first place, as well as reaching the finals on all four pieces of apparatus.

Great Britain, who had qualified in second place and had high hopes of making the podium, endured a number of early falls which effectively ruled them out of contention.

The team, comprising Jessica Gadirova, Ondine Achampong, Alice Kinsella, Georgia-Mae Fenton and 16-year-old debutant Ruby Evans, finished sixth with a total of 161.864.

Kinsella, the former European champion on beam, admitted: “I think we’ll learn a lot from today.

“We still enjoyed it but we know we could have done more. We fought it to the end as a team that’s the main thing. We’re disappointed but we’ll bounce back.”

Simone Biles has claimed a record eighth all-around US Championship less than a month after ending a two-year break from gymnastics.

The 19-time world champion, 26, claimed the record-breaking crown – 10 years after winning her first – as she posted a total of 118.40, four clear of runner-up Shilese Jones, in San Jose, California.

Biles returned to competition in Chicago earlier this month after suffering from “the twisties” – a phenomenon which affects an athlete’s spatial awareness – and withdrawing from five of her six finals at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 to focus on her mental health.

The seven-time Olympic medallist became the oldest female US champion since the event was first organised by USA Gymnastics in 1963.

She is expected to bid to add to her haul of 25 World Championship medals in Antwerp in September.

Biles has not confirmed whether she plans to compete at next year’s Olympic Games in Paris.

Olympic champion Sunisa Lee, who has battled a mystery kidney issue for much of the year, performed strongly on the beam and could head to Antwerp as a specialist on the apparatus.

Simone Biles says she always knew she would return to gymnastics after her experience at the Tokyo Olympics.

The 26-year-old – the most decorated gymnast in history – ended her two-year hiatus on Saturday as she won the US Classic in Chicago.

It was her first competition since the Olympics in 2021, when she suffered “the twisties” – a phenomenon which temporarily affects an athlete’s spatial awareness – and withdrew from five of her six finals to focus on her mental health.

And the seven-time Olympic medallist and 19-time world champion, who is still doing weekly therapy, said her successful return “means the world”.

She told CNBC: “It felt really good, especially after everything that’s happened over the past year.

“I always kind of knew (I’d be back) as soon as everything that happened in Tokyo.

“So, this time I’m doing it for me. I worked a lot on myself and I believe in myself a little bit more, just coming back out here and starting the first steps again.

“It means the world because after everything that kind of transpired in Tokyo and it took a lot.

“I worked on myself a lot, I still do therapy weekly and it’s just been so exciting to come out here and have the confidence I had before.”

Biles recorded the meet’s best mark in three of the four disciplines as she scored a total of 59.100 to finish five points in front of second-placed Leanne Wong.

And Biles was happy with the fan support she received.

She added: “Everyone that was cheering, made posters and all that in the crowd, it just made my heart melt that they still believe in me.”

Biles has not confirmed whether she plans to compete at next year’s Olympic Games in Paris but her efforts on Saturday earned her qualification for the US Championships later this month.