If Simone Biles’ career ended in Paris, her legacy will live on forever
As the 2024 Paris Olympics unfolded, Simone Biles once again captivated the world with the exuberant spirit that first stole hearts at the 2016 Rio Games. At just 19, Biles amassed five Olympic medals — four of them gold — and stood poised on the brink of a future filled with promise.
It was merely a prologue to what was yet to come.Fast forward eight years later and Biles, now 27, has just wrapped up her third Olympics. She’s a married woman, a powerful voice in society, an advocate for herself and her competitors, and time and time again, she continues to redefine what is possible in her sport.Oh, and she’s the greatest gymnast of all time. As Biles walked out of Bercy Arena with Olympic medal No. 11 hanging around her neck, you couldn’t help but wonder if it was Biles’ final bow. Biles isn’t very fond of that question — understandably, she just wants to stay present in the moment — but this is what happens when the world gets spoiled by greatness. For over a decade, Biles has been a constant, dependable presence in gymnastics. Age, injury, abuse, and mental health challenges have never held her back. Not even a rocky Tokyo Olympics and the twisties could pull Biles away from the sport. After Tokyo, where the weight of her personal and professional struggles came to a head, Biles took a year off to address her mental health and heal. She couldn’t even imagine returning to competition at that time. “Before Tokyo… I was so nervous about getting injured physically, that I kind of neglected my mental health and put that on the back burner,” Biles said when reflecting on her Tokyo experience.
“Then I was injured, except it was a mental injury. I think that was almost harder than a physical injury. When you go to the doctor and you have a physical injury, they tell you three to six weeks or three to six months. This… it was like no time tells.“I’ve been in therapy religiously every Thursday and whenever I need it when I’m in big competitions. To see where I’ve grown, even from Tokyo and the 19-year old from Rio — I’m really proud of the work that she’s put in because I never thought I’d be on a world stage competing again.”
Upon her return, Biles effortlessly reclaimed her place at the top of her sport, not driven by the need to prove herself, but by a newfound peace and joy. Every time Biles stepped onto the competition floor, her gymnastics not only appeared effortless but also radiated enjoyment. On the sidelines, she can be seen cheering for her rivals, even when they outperform her. If she makes a mistake, a playful eye roll is quick to follow. Regardless of the outcome, her smile always brightens the room.Biles’ humor shines through too.
After her final routine in Paris, Biles deliberately turned to the judges and saluted for longer than she needed to, holding her arms up as she walked off the floor — a little jab at the judges for controversially giving her a penalty for not holding her salute position long enough earlier in the day during the balance beam final. She even wore a goat necklace after winning her second Olympic all-around title, a nod to her nickname.“My goat necklace is kind of an ode because people love it and then some people hate it. So it’s the best of both worlds,” Biles said.
“I was like, ‘Ok if it goes well, we’ll wear the goat necklace. I know people will go crazy over it.’ But at the end of the day, it’s crazy that I am in the conversation for the greatest of all athletes because I still think I’m Simone Biles from Spring, Texas, who loves to flip.”Three years ago none of this felt possible.
Now Biles is leaving Paris with four more medals, three of them gold. Her collection of 41 world and Olympic medals speaks volumes. Biles hasn’t completely ruled out making a run for a fourth Games, telling TODAY’s Hoda Kotb, “You can never say never. The next Olympics is on home turf, so you just never know.
.”But there’s one thing we do know for certain. Even if we never see Simone Biles compete again, there is no debating that she has left her mark.
