We are gathered here today in memory of the Yurchenko double pike, a thrilling gymnastic maneuver previously performed by Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles.
Biles retired the extremely difficult skill, a.k.a. the "Biles II," which consists of a roundoff onto the springboard and a back handspring onto the vaulting table followed by two backward flips off the apparatus in a pike position.
With a difficulty value of 6.4, the Yurchenko double pike is one of the hardest vaults in the women's gymnastics competition.
You can watch Biles perform the thrilling move at the 2024 Paris Olympics, here.
But now it was time for Biles to bid a fond farewell to performing the vault—and very cheekily at that.
On Tuesday, Biles posted a photo of her sitting on a vault surrounded by funeral flora in memory of her slaying the competition.
She wrote in the caption, "rest in peace yurchenko double pike 🫶🏾"
Last month, the 27-year-old, who is the most decorated gymnast in history with 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals, said the 2024 Paris Olympics was the last time she was vaulting the Yurchenko double pike after she won a gold medal each for performing it in the all-around and vault finals.
However, she teased reporters:
“Is this my last? Definitely the Yurchenko double pike. I mean, I kind of nailed that one. So, you know, never say never."
"The next Olympics is at home," she added, regarding her participation at the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games, at which time she will be 31 years old.
"You just never know," she said and reminded reporters, "But I am getting old."
Fans paid their respects.
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The vault was named after retired Soviet gymnast Natalia Yurchenko, who originated the Yurchenko vault family and also won the women's all-around gold medal at the 1983 World Championships.
After seeing Biles flawlessly execute the vault in 2021, Yurchenko commented:
“It’s such a joy to see that something that you started doing, getting into such a progress and [allowing] other people to compete with more difficulties and raise the bar even higher and higher."
The 59-year-old, who immigrated to the US in 1999 and resides in Chicago with her husband, said of her signature skill:
“I was dreaming about seeing it."
"It was kind of tears of joy because you create something and you wait for the future generation to use it."
“I don’t think it can be better. It was just so amazing. I was amazed that we have Simone Biles, who can raise us all to that kind of level," she said.
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