Simone Biles led the United States women’s gymnastics team to victory, securing gold in the all-around competition.
Her awe-inspiring performance in Paris left the audience spellbound, with Brazilian gymnast Rebeca and American athlete Suni Lee securing the bronze medals.
No doubt, Simone Biles has proven herself to be one of the greatest gymnasts ever, winning numerous titles and medals but what makes her stand out is the story behind her success, away from the spotlight. At the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo (which took place in 2021), Simone bravely chose to prioritize her mental well-being and stepped back from the competition.
Part of Simone’s challenges stemmed from a prevalent anxiety condition among gymnasts known as the twisties. This condition involves a disconnect between the brain and body, leading to difficulties in spatial orientation during aerial manoeuvres.
“I worked on myself a lot, I still do therapy weekly, and it’s just been so exciting to come out here and have the confidence I had before,” she said on CNBC last year.
Despite a challenging start, Simone received tremendous support from her husband, parents, and celebrity friends in the audience. The gymnast has triumphantly returned at the Paris Olympics, securing medals and advocating for mental health.
Her caption appeared to directly address MyKayla’s recent YouTube comment, which criticized the talent and depth of current American gymnasts while praising Biles.
Following her victory, Biles posted the win on her social with a caption that seemed like a direct response to MyKayla’s recent (and now deleted) YouTube comment criticizing the talent and depth in the current crop of American gymnasts, singling out Biles as exceptional — though Biles was having none of it.
“Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and depth isn’t what it used to be.” Skinner wrote.
“Lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions.” read Simone’s caption.
Skinner also said the current generation of gymnasts lacks the necessary work ethic and emphasized the need for aggressiveness and intensity in the sport.
“The girls just don’t have the work ethic… to get to where you need to be in gymnastics you do have to be, I feel like, a little aggressive and a little intense.” she added in her now-deleted post.
These comments came after the US Olympic trials, where Biles locked in her spot on the 2024 Olympic team alongside Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee, and Hezly Rivera.
Simone has become a role model for young women, showing that despite her Gold medal, she remains human, embodying the true spirit of the Olympics — body, will, and mind.
The perfect dismount to a remarkable feat.
