Gymnastics: Perfect 10 as Biles makes history

GLASGOW - Simone Biles confirmed herself as a favourite for victory at next year's Olympics as she became the first woman to win 10 world gymnastics championships gold medals on Sunday.

The 18-year-old American coolly added gold on the balance beam and the floor to the record third all-around and team titles she had already claimed at the Hydro Arena in Glasgow.

Biles' four world titles brought her tally to a record 10 golds as the 4ft 9in (1.44m) teenager from Spring, Texas, continued her a meteoric rise after what was a difficult start in life.

Biles was adopted by her grandparents at the age of three as her mother struggled with drug addiction, before bursting onto the scene at the 2013 worlds.

She now overtakes Russia's Svetlana Khorkina, Romania's Gina Gogean and legendary former Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, who all won nine world gold medals.

Biles, who also won vault bronze on Saturday, now has 14 world medals only surpassed by Khorkina's 20 between 1994 and 2003 and Gogean's 15 from 1993 to 1997. Biles is equal with Latynina, who won 14 between 1954 and 1966.

It was a performance that put the United States top of the medals table with five gold medals, ahead of Japan with four on the final day of competition.

Incredible journey

"It's a really amazing feeling and I don't think it has hit me yet. I can't even wrap my head around it," Biles said of her record.

"I still don't believe my ability to achieve such things. It's crazy... I am proud of myself and the team that I have," she added.

It has been an incredible journey for Biles, who was born on March 14, 1997 in Columbus, Ohio.

She moved to Texas at the age of three to be brought up along with her younger sister Adria by her grandparents Ron and Nellie Biles.

The couple adopted the children after their mother was wrestling with drug addiction. Two other siblings were adopted by Ron's sister.

Biles calls her grandparents Mom and Dad and both were cheering in the stands in Glasgow this week.

"My Mom takes my medals from me and puts them in a safe, and I don't know the combination," said Biles, who admitted she now dreams of one thing - competing in the Rio Olympics.

Flying Squirrel

At her first Olympics, Biles will bid to topple team-mate Gabby "Flying Squirrel" Douglas, the reigning all-around Olympic champion, who took two years off after the London Games and returned to take silver behind Biles in Glasgow.

"Three years ago I would have thought they were absolutely crazy and wouldn't have believed it," said Biles, when asked if she was now favourite for the Olympic gold.

It was the second straight worlds in which Biles has won gold in the four events since making her senior debut in March 2013.

Biles also became the first woman since Khorkina in 2003 to win three all-around titles and the first to win three in a row after Antwerp in 2013 and Nanning in 2014.

"It hasn't sunk in yet," said the tiny star with the infectious giggle. "It was one event to the next so I had to run back (after beam) and warm up.

"Everything happened so quickly. It was pretty laid back because floor isn't that hard for me to warm up quickly.

"Other than that, to switch gears that quickly is something we're trained to do, so it was OK." On the beam she proved solid after a wobbly performance in the all-around final, landing solidly with a double somersault to win by a 1.025 margin ahead of Sanne Wevers of the Netherlands.

Next up the floor, where Biles' superior difficulty meant that once she had cleanly performed her rivals had no chance.

Russia's Ksenia Afanasyeva, the 2011 champion, was the only gymnast who came close, finishing 0.700 behind, while American Maggie Nichols took bronze.

"Simone did amazing as she always does. It is amazing watching her, cheering her on and her being my best friend, I'm so proud of her and of everything she has accomplished," said Nichols.