In a stunning display of athleticism and skill, superstar gymnast Simone Biles showcased her unrivaled talent on the vault at the Paris Olympics 2024. With her signature moves and powerful execution, Biles left spectators in awe as she solidified her place as the frontrunner in the event.

During her first vault, Biles performed a flawless Yurchenko double pike, propelling herself off the block and executing two backward flips with her hands clasped behind her knees. While she demonstrated extraordinary control and precision in the air, she landed slightly outside the boundary, resulting in a minor deduction of a tenth of a point. Nevertheless, her impressive score of 15.700 ensured a comfortable lead and put her in a strong position for victory.

Biles' second vault, known as the Cheng, was equally awe-inspiring. With a roundoff onto the springboard, followed by a half twist onto the block, she seamlessly executed 1 1/2 twists while performing a forward somersault. Her near-perfect performance earned her a score of 14.900, further solidifying her dominance in the competition.

While Biles' tremendous scores showcased her exceptional talent, it is worth noting that she did not surpass the highest vault score ever recorded at the Olympics. According to the International Gymnastics Federation, that distinction still belongs to McKayla Maroney, who achieved a remarkable 16.233 during the U.S. women's golden run in London.

To understand how gymnastics scoring works, a total of nine judges are selected for each Olympic gymnastics event. These judges are divided into three groups: the D panel, the E panel, and the reference panel. The D panel, consisting of two judges, determines the difficulty score by assessing the most challenging elements of the routine. For vault, the difficulty score is pre-determined and displayed to the judges before the gymnast begins their routine.

The E panel is comprised of five judges who evaluate the execution score. Starting at an initial 10.0, deductions are made for errors during the routine, ranging from 0.1 to 1.0. After each judge records their execution score, the highest and lowest scores are dropped, and the remaining three scores are averaged to determine the final execution score.

While perfect scores were once associated with gymnastics, the introduction of the open-ended scoring system means that gymnasts can achieve a flawless routine without a specified numerical value. A perfect score requires receiving no deductions from the judges while executing the planned routine with full difficulty.

As the Paris Olympics 2024 continues to captivate audiences with its impressive displays of athleticism and fierce competition, Simone Biles' commanding performance on the vault stands as a testament to her unparalleled talent and commitment to excellence.