Simone Biles’ first vault attempts were so bad they earned her 'zeroes'

Simone Biles is known worldwide for her incredible feats in gymnastics, vaults that defy gravity, and moves that leave spectators breathless. But before she became a household name, before her vault was so iconic it carried her name, Simone’s journey was defined by struggle, mistakes, and perseverance. It was a path that began with two unforgettable moments that would change her forever: the infamous "zeroes" on the vault.

Before Simone became the most decorated gymnast of all time, she was just a girl with raw energy and an innate talent for the sport. Aimee Boorman, who became her first coach when Simone was just eight years old, remembers the early days well. They were full of potential, but also marked by a lot of trial and error.
One particular moment in Simone’s second competition stands out. At this stage in her career, Simone was still figuring out how to control her boundless energy. Boorman recalls the scene in her memoir, The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles: “She was joking around a little bit before she saluted, and on her first run, she sprinted down the runway but tried to stop herself at the last second. She threw her hands in front of her body, belly-sliding on the vault, but didn’t actually go over the vault table. Zero.”

Imagine that, one of the most famous athletes in the world today, at one point, receiving a zero score for an attempt on the vault. But it didn’t end there. In her next attempt, Simone threw herself into the move with all the energy she could muster, launching herself off the springboard as though she were trying to fly. She soared over the vault, leaving it far behind, her body twisting in the air as she struggled to regain control. Once again, the result? Another zero.
These early failures could have been discouraging, even devastating. But in these moments, something remarkable happened. Rather than be defeated, Simone got back up, laughed, and kept trying, a pattern that would define her future success.

For Aimee Boorman, those early zeroes didn’t signal failure. Instead, she saw something powerful in Simone: an unshakeable spark. “She was this little girl with a kind of energy and curiosity that I had never seen before,” Boorman recalls. Despite the belly-flops and setbacks, Simone's spirit never wavered. She wasn’t just learning the mechanics of gymnastics; she was developing the resilience and determination that would carry her through countless challenges in the years ahead.
Every fall, every mistake, Simone would get back up with more purpose. This willingness to face failure head-on and not just face it but learn from it , became the cornerstone of her eventual greatness. Boorman could see that this was no ordinary young gymnast; there was something special about Simone. It wasn’t just the raw talent or the spring-loaded legs, it was the mindset. Simone had the fire to push through every obstacle, and that fire would eventually blaze its way to the top.

Fast forward to the 2024 Paris Olympics, a defining moment in Simone's career. The stage was set for her to make history again, but this time, it wasn’t just about winning. It was about redemption, about proving to herself and the world that she could master the vault that once had eluded her. With two gold medals already in her grasp, Simone returned to the vault for one last challenge.
The vault, the very same apparatus where she once earned zeroes, would now be the stage for her redemption. As the crowd buzzed with anticipation, Simone prepared for her signature move: the Yurchenko double pike. This vault is a monster of a skill, so difficult it carries a 6.4 D-score, nearly a full point higher than any other vault in the competition. Few gymnasts have even dared to attempt it, let alone land it. But for Simone, it was more than just a move; it was a statement.
As she sprinted down the runway, the atmosphere in the arena was electric. The spotlight was on her, the world waiting to see if she could conquer the vault once and for all. With precision and strength, Simone launched herself off the springboard, her body twisting and flipping through the air in the signature double pike. As she soared, it was as if gravity no longer applied to her. The landing was flawless. There were no wobbles, no hesitations, just a perfect stick that would go down in history.
The scoreboard flashed a score of 15.600. It wasn’t just a number; it was a symbol of Simone's growth, her unyielding determination, and the years of hard work that had led to this moment. She had proven that she could master what she once failed. The world had watched her fall, but now they were witnessing something extraordinary: the rise of a champion who had never stopped fighting.

Simone’s journey from those early zeroes to her gold-medal vaults at the Olympics is a story of resilience and unrelenting determination. In the early days, when she could have given up, she chose to learn and grow. Her coach Cecile Landi, who took over Simone's training as she prepared for Paris 2024, spoke about how Simone had been practicing the Yurchenko double pike with such dedication that she no longer needed anyone by her side for reassurance. "Right now she’s doing more of the double pike,” Cecile remarked in May 2024. “I think she just wants to do it without Laurent standing on her by the side. She’s ready for it.”
And ready she was. At the Core Hydration Classic just a week before the Olympics, Simone proved she was prepared. With no coach standing by her side, no Laurent Landi on the podium, Simone took to the vault with a confidence that radiated from every move. She launched herself into the air, executed the vault to perfection, and stuck the landing as if she had done it a thousand times before. The crowd erupted, and the gymnastics world knew that Simone had come full circle — from the girl who once belly-flopped on the vault to the woman who could command it with unparalleled skill.