Biles bags 16th world title

I look back at videos and wonder how did I do that.

SIMONE Biles wins a record 16 world titles. AFP

STUTTGART, Germany (AFP) — American gymnastics superstar Simone Biles admitted being bewildered by her own success after claiming a record-extending 16th world championship gold medal and fifth all-around title on Thursday in Stuttgart.

Biles earned the 22nd world medal of her career, backing up team gold with the United States on Tuesday, by producing a superb display.

“It’s an honor and it’s super exciting,” she said.

Chinese youngster Tang Xijing took the silver medal while Angelina Melnikova of Russia claimed the bronze medal.

Biles’ winning margin of 2.1 points was her biggest at a world championships and was identical to her winning gap in the same event at the 2016 Olympics.

She extended her own record as the most decorated woman in world championships history to leave her just one short of male gymnast Vitaly Scherbo’s all-time record of 23 medals.

She can break Scherbo’s mark in this weekend’s four apparatus finals.

However, she was slightly bewildered by her worlds medal tally and amazed by her own displays in Stuttgart.

“I feel like it’s not me and sometimes I wonder how I do it. I sometimes wish I could have an out-of-body experience to witness it,” she said, laughing.

“I look back at videos and wonder how did I do that.”

Biles led from the start, nailing her first discipline with a superb vault, which scored 15.223 points.

She followed that up with a solid display on the uneven bars, where she posted the third-highest score, to consolidate her lead.

Biles dominated the beam and sealed gold with the highest score of 14.400 points in the floor exercise when she had only needed 12.300 points for the title.