Olympic champion Simone Biles won her fifth all-around title at the US gymnastics championships in Boston and used her outfit to make a statement for those affected by the sexual abuse scandal that has rocked the sport.

The 21-year-old designed the leotard she wore on Sunday, all the way down to the light shade of teal – the designated colour for survivors of sexual abuse, a group that includes Biles, who revealed in January she was among the victims of former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar.

“[The colour] is for the survivors,” Biles said after becoming the first woman in 24 years to post the top score on every event on her way to a national championship. “I stand with all of them and I think it’s kind of special to unite [people].”

Biles’s total of 119.850 gave her a 6.55-point margin of victory over nearest challenger and reigning world champion Morgan Hurd (113.300). Riley McCusker (112.750), Grace McCallum (111.650) and Shilese Jones (109.850) rounded out the top five.

“She pushes us,” McCusker said. “I’m honestly just in awe of her.”

Biles is the second woman to win nationals five times, joining Clara Schroth Lomady, who won six between 1945 and 1952. Biles also became the first woman since three-time Olympian Dominique Dawes in 1994 to wind up first on floor exercise, balance beam, vault and uneven bars.

The stellar showing from Biles, who won four gold medals at the Rio Games, comes less than a month into her return to competition after an almost two-year break. She is among more than 100 gymnasts who say they were abused by former Nassar, who received a prison sentence of up to 175 years after pleading guilty to criminal sexual conduct.



Biles came up with the idea to wear teal eight months ago, long before she knew how her comeback following a post-Olympic break would go. In the end, it simultaneously served as a beacon to her gymnastics while also highlighting the need to keep the Nassar survivors at the forefront.