Picture Credit: AFP
American gymnast Simone Biles was in the news lately when she decided to withdraw from the second Tokyo 2020 gymnastics competition citing mental health concerns. Although there were questions raised over her participation for the rest of the event, she did turn up and helped the USA bag some medals. The 24-year-old had taken the step a day after she failed to land on her opening vault. She even went on record saying: "I have to do what's best for me and focus on my mental health... If you don't, you won't enjoy sport and won't succeed as much as you want to."
Who is Simone Biles?
Simone Biles was born in Ohio in 1997. Growing up, she was placed in foster care along with three of her siblings. Her 30 Olympic and World Championship medals make her one of the greatest ever gymnasts in the world. She was already a level 8 gymnast when she began in 2007. In the year 2015, Biles broke all records and became the first-ever woman to win three successive global all-around titles.
What are Simone Biles' achivements?
In what is already being regarded as an illustrious career, Biles had bagged 36 medals in total, 27 gold, five silver, and four bronzes. 19 gold of these have come from the World Gymnastics Championships apart from getting medals over the two Olympic games. Overall, Simeone Biles has won seven US Gymnastics Championships to her credit, winning each of them since 2013, except 2017 when she was sitting out.
Awards and Recognitions:
Team USA's Female Olympic Athlete of the Year- 2015
Sportswoman of the Year (Women's Sports Foundation) - 2016
ESPY Award for Best Female Athlete
Shorty Awards for Sports Excellence
Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year in 2017
Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year- 2020
Prior to the Olympics, Biles became the first female athlete and first Olympian ever to get her own custom hashtag Twitter emoji. The custom hashtag for Biles is nothing but an adorable goat. The goat could be seen wearing a leotard and doing a split leap, much like the real Biles doing it on the balance beam.