Simone Biles: A Legacy Beyond Medals
PARIS — In a post-meet press conference filled with anticipation and excitement, Manila Esposito, the bronze medalist on the balance beam, appeared overwhelmed, her expression akin to a deer caught in headlights. As she hesitantly began to speak, her voice barely rising above a whisper. In a gracious gesture, Simone Biles leaned over and adjusted Esposito’s microphone, offering a reassuring nod that it was time for her to shine. Later, when the moderator directed a question to Alice D’Amato, Esposito’s teammate, D’Amato took a moment to gather her thoughts. Just as the moderator began to prompt her for a response, Biles gently reminded him that the translation for the athletes via their earpieces takes a little time to process.
Every so often, a reminder surfaces: Simone Biles is 27 years old, a seasoned veteran in the world of gymnastics. She has navigated the complexities of international competition for over a decade, having started her journey at the tender age of 16, when she was still braces-clad and too young to drive, let alone enjoy a drink. Now, as a married woman, she faces questions about her future before she even completes her competition in Paris. Initially, she responded with a non-answer, acknowledging the allure of competing on home soil in Los Angeles while simultaneously recognizing that age is more than just a figure. “I’m old,” she remarked with a laugh.
Later, Biles shared her exasperation on social media platform X, tweeting, “You guys really gotta stop asking athletes what’s next after they win a medal at the Olympics,” and adding, “Let us soak up the moment we’ve worked our whole lives for.”
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This sentiment captures the essence of the moment, yet it’s a message that needs to be conveyed to everyone else: it is time for us to appreciate her achievements instead of greedily questioning what more we can expect. Biles is a constant in her sport, a near-sure thing. Neither age, injury, nor the shadows of abuse and mental health struggles have managed to defeat her. Each time she returns, we are left to ponder: What if this is her last performance?
It very well could be her final chapter. Her coach, Cecile Landi, is set to take the helm of the University of Georgia gymnastics program, and her husband and co-coach, Laurent, will follow suit in a year’s time after their daughter graduates. This transition seems ideal; Biles has nothing left to prove. However, that tease lingers. Her journey shifted away from merely proving her worth three years ago. In the wake of the twisties at the Tokyo Olympics, Biles undertook the painful journey of understanding her mental health struggles, bravely confronting her abuse at the hands of Larry Nassar and questioning USA Gymnastics’ complicity in her suffering before the Senate Judiciary Committee. She explored her own “why,” a daunting endeavor for anyone, forcing herself to confront what truly matters to her.
With remarkable courage, Biles took a year off from a sport that is notoriously unforgiving of time. “To do the work, the personal work to be here and to perform, it’s amazing,” Laurent Landi remarked. “It just shows how tough the mind is, and that if you heal it properly, you can be very, very successful.” Biles is far from fading into the background. Throughout her time in Paris, she battled a nagging calf injury, sustained before the trials and aggravated during qualifications. Doctors wrapped her leg throughout the competition, and while Biles downplayed the severity of the injury—jokingly reprimanding reporters for their curiosity—Landi acknowledged that managing pain rather than eliminating it was the real challenge. “It was bothering her, of course,” he said. “Was it impacting her performances? I don’t think so.”
Landi smirked, leaving it open for interpretation. Four medals, three of them gold, more than all but 22 countries competing in Paris up to that point.
The final day was meant to be a celebration, a victory lap, and a farewell. Instead, it revealed Biles’ humanity. She was fatigued, having competed on four of the five possible days. The emotional burden of righting the narrative from Tokyo weighed heavily on her. The atmosphere during the event finals felt strange; instead of lively music accompanying the gymnasts’ performances, Bercy Arena transformed into a somber church, with spectators quietly observing, as if admonishing anyone who dared to react when a gymnast successfully executed a skill on the balance beam. “We asked several times if we could have some music or background noise,” Biles commented. “So I’m not really sure what happened there.”
These are not mere excuses; they are the realities of the moment. The beam competition turned into a test of survival, with medals going to those who managed to stay on. Three gymnasts, including Sunisa Lee, fell before Biles, and two others faced serious balance checks. Yet when Biles missed a landing on her back layout step out and fell, the arena gasped collectively. After the competition concluded and Biles officially did not medal, a mother in line at the Bercy Arena concessions lamented to her young daughter, “I feel so bad for Simone.” The daughter, wide-eyed and innocent, replied, “She fell,” as if witnessing a masterpiece marred by an accidental brushstroke.
Whatever Simone Biles chooses to pursue next, her legacy will resonate as one of unparalleled gymnastics excellence, but more importantly, it will be defined by her leadership and courage beyond the mat. (Naomi Baker / Getty Images)
In her defense, the little girl could not have been more than 8 years old, and in her short lifetime, Biles has represented Olympic perfection. Until this beam final, she had competed in nine different Olympic events throughout her career, encompassing team, all-around, and event finals, medaling in every single one and earning gold in seven of them.
Then, her very humanity dared to emerge once again. Just two hours after her balance beam misstep, Biles returned for the floor exercise, an event in which she has never tasted defeat at either the Olympics or world championships. However, she landed awkwardly during warm-ups, seemingly aggravating that same calf injury. After a brief examination, Biles still opted to compete, landing her first tumbling pass with grace and restoring a sense of order. Yet, on her second and fourth passes, Biles stepped out of bounds, costing her crucial tenths of a point, which ultimately placed her second behind Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade.
It’s worth noting that she faltered on two moves named after her—skills that no one else even attempts. This is Biles’ own unique interpretation of failure. But how does she define success? If you ask Biles, it transcends the medals and the accolades. It lies in the very essence of what she demonstrated on that final day of competition: her authenticity. She takes immense pride in her accomplishments, but even greater pride in the person she has become and the impact she believes she has made on others. “Putting your mental health first, and taking time for yourself, whether you’re in sports or not, it’s about longevity,” she expressed. “Longevity in sports, specifically, but also just for a better, healthier lifestyle.”
Not far from where Biles showcased her talents, a woman strolled along a Parisian sidewalk, accompanied by her friendly Australian shetland sheepdog. Engaging with fellow dog lovers, she paused to chat. A French national, she was in Paris to enjoy the Olympics, and upon discovering that her new canine friends hailed from the U.S., she immediately expressed her admiration for the “American gymnast.” Having watched Biles’ documentary on Netflix, she commended Biles for opening up the conversation surrounding mental health. “I am not an athlete,” she admitted, yet she felt grateful that Biles made it acceptable to “talk about” personal struggles. “I appreciate that.”
If this indeed marks the conclusion of her competitive journey, it is essential for all of us to appreciate Simone Biles and the profound legacy she leaves behind.
(Top photo of Simone Biles with her gold medal from the vault competition: Tom Weller / VOIGT / Getty Images)
