The Simone Biles-led Gold Over America Tour kicked off on September 17th in Oceanside, California, and it was a showstopper from the get-go! Next up was the Footprint Center in Phoenix, where the city rolled out the red carpet. Phoenix Mercury stars Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, and Kahleah Copper were in the audience, adding some WNBA flair to the gymnastics scene. After the show, these powerhouse athletes took a victory lap around the stadium together, marking the event a major hit.

But it wasn’t just the crossover of WNBA and gymnastics that made waves. Simone Biles wowed the crowd with a daring move that could change the game for women’s gymnastics. According to a fan page on X, “Gymnastics Coaching,” Simone brought something fresh to the Gold Over America Tour by attempting pommels on a mushroom—a rarity in female gymnastics!

The gymnastics mushroom is typically used in pommel horse training for male gymnasts. The post even called out GymCastic podcast host Jessica O’Beirne, saying she’d now have to consider the mushroom a legit competitive apparatus. “Simone actually did some Pommels in the show. This means @OtotheBeirne will have to acknowledge it’s a legitimate competitive apparatus. WAG will adopt mushroom as a 5th event,” they quipped.

O’Beirne added to the playful repartee: “As long as it’s a gender-inclusive, synchronized, team event, bring on Mushroom Team Final!” Talk about a power move! This could be a game-changer for the sport, paving the way for the pommel to be recognized in artistic gymnastics. So, why is Simone Biles performing on the pommel horse such a big deal?

Well, the pommel horse is one of the toughest events in men’s gymnastics, and it’s all about finesse rather than just muscle. Gymnasts need to master their balance while executing skills that require one hand to touch the apparatus—it’s like a high-stakes balancing act! Plus, there’s always the risk of taking a tumble, and the movements are completely different from what you’d see on bars, rings, or vaults.

Now, here’s where it gets historic: the pommel horse isn’t even part of women’s gymnastics! This gap has mostly been chalked up to body composition differences—female gymnasts typically rely more on lower body strength, while males flex their upper body prowess. And let’s not forget those age-old gender norms that paint women’s gymnastics as dance-like. But with Simone and her fellow gymnasts like Christine Lee, Ellie Black, and Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos nailing flares on the mushroom during rehearsals, it could just be a revolutionary shift. But it’s not just the women breaking barriers on the Gold Over America Tour.

Male gymnasts are taking a page from Simone Biles’ playbook

On September 10th, Simone Biles shared some eye-catching rehearsal clips on her Instagram story, leaving the gymnastics community buzzing. One particular story showed male gymnasts attempting the balance beam—traditionally seen as one of the most challenging apparatuses in women’s gymnastics. Simone playfully captioned it, “Okay boys 👏👏,” hinting at the groundbreaking shift the Gold Over America Tour might bring to the sport.

So, why haven’t male gymnasts ever performed on the balance beam? It all comes down to age-old gender norms. The beam demands a mix of grace and flexibility—traits traditionally associated with women in gymnastics—while men’s events focus on strength and power. But let’s not forget, we’ve definitely seen plenty of power in women’s gymnastics too! If Brody Malone, Paul Juda, or Fred Richards decide to tackle the balance beam during the tour, it could be a game-changing moment in gymnastics history—blurring those rigid lines and paving the way for a new era!