All things considered, Simone Biles is arguably one of the greatest American athletes, male or female, of all-time. She has set records that will likely last a generation, but add another title to her already accomplished resume. Biles was named by Sports Illustrated as their 2024 Sportsperson of the Year thanks to her efforts in the Paris Olympics.
In Paris, she added four medals (three gold) to her name, becoming the most decorated American female gymnast in Olympic history. What’s more, her 11 total medals (seven gold medals) are tied for the second-most in the history of the Olympic Games for a female gymnast. Biles’s Olympic career began in Rio in 2016, where she won four Gold medals.
However, the decorated gymnast suffered from twisties (gymnastics vertigo) in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. As a result, she dropped out of numerous events but did win silver in the Women’s Team event and Bronze in the Women’s Balance Beam.
Simone Biles is SI’s 2024 Sportsperson of the Year ⭐ https://t.co/Fm4hAkpY45 pic.twitter.com/JYyp8OKG6V
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) January 2, 2025
The Paris Olympics was a bounce back for her, leading a team known collectively as the “Golden Girls”. Along with Biles was Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera. It’s important to note this was the oldest American roster sent to the Olympics in over a half-century. Additionally, Biles was the oldest gymnast ever to compete at 27 years old.
Nonetheless, Biles defied the odds as she cemented her place in Olympic history as the GOAT of American gymnastics.
Will Biles Compete in Her Fourth Olympics in 2028?
The games of the 36th Olympiad will be in Los Angeles in 2028 for the first since 1984. Given that L.A. is known as the home for stars, having Biles compete fits perfectly. Yet, it remains unknown whether she will compete in an unprecedented fourth Olympic Games. She did not rule out a chance to be in Los Angeles in an interview with Sports Illustrated:
“I’ve accomplished so much, there’s almost nothing left to do, rather than to just be snobby and to try again – and for what? I’m at a point in my career where I’m humble enough to know when to be done…If you go back, you’ll be greedy. Those are the consequences.”
Fans will have to wait and see if she decides to compete in 2028 as she could possess second place all by herself in Olympic medals by a female gymnast.
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