Watching Simone Biles on the floor is an absolute thrill. With the level of risk factor and elegance she brings on, very few can match the same. However, recently, the crowd was shocked during the NCAA Gymnastics regionals. Competing for the Clemson Tigers, it seemed like Simone Biles was owning the floor! Well, of course, it was not Biles. But a young gymnast with an eerily similar physical resemblance to the gymnastics GOAT took the stage. And what’s more? She also pulled off Simone Biles’ move! Unfortunately, despite all the rosy lines written, the Tigers’ gymnast ultimately suffered a brutal heartbreak. But what happened?

Well, going back to February 28, the Clemson Tigers faced off against the University of New Hampshire and Texas Woman’s University. Coming to the floor, nobody expected what tricks young Brie Clark had up her sleeves.  And when the rabbit was pulled out of the hat, the entire gymnastics realm was dumbfounded. Within minutes of starting her floor routine, Clark executed the double layout with a half-twist! Feels familiar? Must be. Because this particular move is listed as ‘The Biles I!’ Surely, she got a whopping 9.800 for her attempt to become the first NCAA gymnast to execute a ‘Biles I’ successfully. But in a gloomy turn of events, the broad smile was wiped off Clark’s face. 

The Clemson Tigers did well to reach the NCAA regionals. However, at the Alabama regional round two, the Tigers faltered really badly. Notching up a total of 195.875, the Tigers finished fourth behind Florida(198.225), Oregon State (197.050), and NC State (196.275), ending any hopes remaining for them to clinch the championship. This result was surely a massive heartbreak for Brie Clark. After all, with all the efforts she has been putting in, Clark wanted to close off the season with a win. 

But Brie Clark did not disappoint. She did end her season in style. Competing on the floor, the young gymnast once again showed her elegance to rake up a score of 9.9! And this is not something new for Clark. In their previous meet, the Clemson Tigers faced off against Rutgers. Quite expectedly, the Tigers’ best rotation was the floor. The reason? Well, Brie Clark got a 9.9 score with her exquisite shenanigans! 

It was by virtue of Clark’s brilliance that the Tigers recorded a 49.275 score on the floor, ultimately overtaking Rutgers with a score of 195.400 to 193.875. Now, although Clark failed to take her team over the line, she must hold her head up. After all, owing to her impeccable form, Brie Clark prompted a response from none other than Simone Biles!

Simone Biles was blown away when Brie Clark nailed her iconic move

Simone Biles didn’t hold back her admiration when Clemson gymnast Brie Clark made history! By landing the Biles I during the February 28 collegiate meet, Brie left not only gymnastics fans stunned but also left the GOAT in awe of her move. The move — a double layout with a half-twist — is notoriously difficult. Moreover, it carries Biles’ name after she introduced it to the world at the 2013 World Championships. However, despite all barriers, Clark became just the fifth woman ever, and the first collegiate gymnast, to execute it in competition.

The redshirt junior’s groundbreaking performance, despite stepping out of bounds for a one-tenth deduction, earned a 9.800 and was instrumental in Clemson’s victory over the University of New Hampshire and Texas Woman’s University. Clark also posted a strong 9.875 on the balance beam. But it was the reaction from the gymnastics icon herself that truly stole the moment. Biles shared Clark’s video on Instagram, commenting, “congrats,” followed by a second reply that read, “& closing out black history month! YES MA’AM.”

Brie, who hails from Daphne, Alabama, basked in the recognition. For a gymnast performing a move pioneered by Biles and later mastered by elite athletes like Trinity Thomas and Hillary Heron, the moment marked a powerful intersection of excellence, legacy, and inspiration—all amplified by the stamp of approval from the greatest of all time.