Simone Biles departs Paris with her head held high, proud of her achievement as a three-time Olympian and her continued dominance in gymnastics, all while maintaining grace. The 27-year-old secured gold medals in the team, all-around, and vault events, along with a silver in the floor exercise. Reflecting on her Paris journey on Tuesday, the 11-time Olympic medalist shared with Reuters her pride in her resilience. "I'm just showcasing my strength throughout and consistently emerging victorious, which I'm truly proud of," she stated. Biles, who at 19 won four golds and a bronze at the Rio Games, has grown significantly over the past eight years, though she was unsure she would return to the global arena after the Tokyo Games in 2021, where she withdrew due to a risky mental condition known as the "twisties". When asked to describe the 2024 version of herself, she replied: "A hard worker, dedicated, strong, beautiful, smart."
Behind the scenes, Biles acts as a mentor, earning praise from teammate Sunisa Lee for boosting confidence. "Having my teammates to rely on was incredible, and I couldn't have gotten through it without them," Lee told Reuters. Beyond supporting her teammates, Biles aims to inspire young gymnasts, athletes, and even adults to build self-confidence and learn to navigate challenging times. "Never give up, there's always light at the end of the tunnel. I know it's tough, and everyone faces difficulties, but you'll come out on top," she advised. Regularly consulting with a therapist since Tokyo, Biles maintains a lighthearted approach to competing on the grand stage and has no pre-competition rituals. "I'm not superstitious, I just go with the flow," she said.
