Olympic gymnastics: Simone Biles takes gold in all-around, becomes first American gymnast to win twice

After narrowly clinching her second consecutive Olympic all-around medal, Lee said she didn’t think she’d be back on the podium.

“I really didn’t think that I would even get on the podium,” she said. “I went out there and I just told myself not to put any pressure on myself because I didn’t want to think about the past Olympics or even trying to like prove to anybody anything.”

The only person Lee wanted to prove anything to? Herself.

“I didn’t think that I could, but it is taken a lot,” she said, referring to a kidney disease that threatened to hamper her Olympic comeback. “I’m so grateful that I had my coaches and, you know, having Simone here today definitely helped me a lot because we were both freaking out.”

Biles’ margin of victory on Andrade was just over a point, the equivalent of a fall, but she said she felt unfamiliar levels of stress with Andrade hot on her heels.

“I don’t want to compete with Rebeca no more,” Biles said of her Brazilian rival, with a chuckle. “I’m tired. She’s way too close. I’ve never had an athlete that close, so it definitely put me on my toes and brought out the best athlete in myself.”

Lee said she has “never seen her so stressed.” Biles was originally going to perform a safer vault, but decided she needed to “bring out the big guns” — her eponymous “Biles II” vault — to beat Andrade.

Biles has not announced her retirement from the sport, but added, “I’m gonna hand it to her now — she can have the rest.”

“Three years ago, I never thought I’d step foot on a gymnastics floor again just because of everything that had happened,” Biles said after winning the all-around title.

She thanked her coaches, Cecile and Laurent Landi, as well as her therapist, who has been seeing her remotely to “make sure she is mentally well” while in Paris despite a significant time change.

When asked about her GOAT status, Biles said “it is crazy that I am in the conversation of greatest of all athletes.”

She sported a necklace with a goat charm after winning today’s gold, knowing “people will go crazy over it,” shouting out both supporters and dissenters of the assertion that she is the greatest gymnast to ever do it.

Since winning her last gold medal in the individual all-around, Biles hasn’t had the easiest go. She famously pulled out of the event, and a number of other event finals, in Tokyo after struggles with the “twisties.”

After reclaiming her all-around title, Biles told “TODAY” host — and official Olympics gymnastics mom — Hoda Kotb “this one feels even better than the last.”

“I am a lot more mature so I know what my body is capable of,” said Biles, 27. She won her first all-around gold in Rio 2016 at the age of 19.

Biles admitted she was nervous ahead of today’s meet and pointed to top competitor Andrade as the reason why.

“Rebeca is such an amazing competitor,” Biles said. “I am happy we have Rebeca out here.”