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Simone Biles inspires young Washington gymnasts with historic championship

Simone Biles completed two historic landings at this weekend's U.S. World Championship. Gymnasts in Bellevue are inspired by her success.
Credit: AP
Simone Biles competes in the beam during the senior women's competition at the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Olympic gymnast Simone Biles is inspiring young gymnasts across the country and also in Washington after her historic championship weekend. 

Biles is the first to land a double-twisting, double somersault dismount off the beam, and she's now the only woman to land a triple-twisting, double back on the floor in competition. The 22-year-old completed both while competing at the U.S. World Championship over the weekend.

“She does make it look incredibly easy. It’s not easy. What she is doing is very difficult,” said Anna Konen, a senior instructor at Gymnastics East in Bellevue.

Konan watched the achievement live and called it "unprecedented."

“This is one of those things that people thought would never be possible. Certainly, they never thought a woman could do this and here she is,” said Konen.

RELATED: 6 pack; Biles soars to 6th US gymnastics title

Biles has an Olympic Gold Medal and several World Championship titles. Konen said the gymnasts at Gymnastics East practice 25-hours a week over the summer and feed off of Biles' success. 

Konen said Biles's achievements are proof to her young athletes that their potential has no limit. 

“A lot of times kids will say, ‘That was hard,’ and my standard response is I never told you it was going to be easy, but you’re capable of doing hard things,” said Konen.

RELATED: Olympic gymnast Simone Biles becomes first person ever to land double-double dismount

 

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