Women in Sport: Simone Biles

Simone Biles was named Team USA’s Female Olympic Athlete of the Year for 2019.

Simone Biles

Simone Biles is a gymnastics’ symbol.

She is the most decorated American Gymnast and the third most decorated gymnast of all time. It was in 2016 that she started to call attention. The 22-year-old won four Olympic gold medals and equaled a number of other records while the Rio Olympics of that year.

Outside the mat, she co-wrote an autobiography with Journalist Michelle Burford. The book hit number one on The New York Times bestsellers Young Adult list the week of January 8, 2017.

Biles won 25 World medals (19 gold, three silver, three bronze), which is the most in gymnastics history.

In 2018, Biles twitted confirming that Larry Nassar, former USA Gymnastics physician, had sexually assaulted her. She came forward saying the USA Gymnastics covered up the case. Other gymnasts also spoke up against Nassar.

Simone Biles is my age. While I am here writing about her accomplishments and her success, and how different our lives obviously are, age is not the only thing we have in common. We are both women in sport. And she represents thousands of other women and girls like me. If in 2018 we were still talking about a successful woman in her sport being assaulted, there is a lot of change to be made.

Megan Rapinoe, Serena Williams and Simone Biles are all strong women that have had a platform and used it. They fight for sexual orientation, gender and race equality. All people have to do is listen.

“I’d rather regret the risks that didn’t work out than the chances I didn’t take at all,” Biles said.