Even on days where she’s far from perfect, Simon Biles is still able to prove that labeling her as the greatest gymnast of all time might be an understatement. The latest example of this came on Friday in Kansas City, Mo. at the U.S. Gymnastics championships, when she decided to become the first person in history to land a double-twisting double somersault beam dismount.
But not even standing alone in the history of her sport was enough to satisfy her feelings about how she felt she did on the first day of the two-day competition, as she told USA Today’s Nancy Armour.
“I’m still really upset about floor,” she said. “I did end on a good note, so that makes me happy. But I’m still disappointed about floor.
“I still get really frustrated because I know how good I am and how well I can do,” Biles added, “so I just want to do the best routine for the audience and for myself out here.”
This serves as yet another reminder that the greatest athletes ever mentally exist on a whole other level compared to mere mortals, and even the average professional athlete. Sure, Biles ended the night with a 1.75-point lead and the highest scores on balance beam, vault and floor, but she’s clearly searching for more than new adornments for her overstuffed trophy case. What she appears to want at this stage in her career is a bit more ethereal.
“I feel like I compete for perfection. So whenever I don’t do that, it really irritates me,” Biles said. “It’s not like it’s bad or I did anything bad. But to me, I just know I can do better.”
It’s perfection, or nothing: the words of a true GOAT.