Well, it can be safely said Simone Biles started the New Year with a bang! The current and arguably the most successful gymnast from the United States just received yet another shiny jewel to her crown. Biles is still on her winning streak: after amazing everyone and herself in Paris, where she won three gold medals and one silver, Biles has made it 32 international titles in total. Her transformation from experiencing ‘twisties’ in Tokyo to an absolutely liberated and powerful comeback in Paris has been legendary.
Now the recognition never ceases! On January 2, 2025, Sports Illustrated anointed Biles as the 2024 Sportsperson of the Year for her unchallenged reign and perseverance. And now, the three-time Olympian, who’s already rewritten history books, has shared her heartfelt thoughts about this monumental recognition, and let’s just say—it’s pure gold, just like her!
In a freshly dropped video on Sports Illustrated’s YouTube channel, Simone Biles sat down to tackle ten burning questions—and one of them struck gold. When asked, “What does it mean to be Sportsperson of the Year?” Simone’s response was every bit as golden as her medals.
With her signature grace and humility, Simone Biles said, “I’m so excited to be Sports Person of the Year it’s a big role in shoes to fill. I’m honored because we want to put gymnastics on the map alongside the Olympic year so it’s really cool.” Honestly, could this queen shine any brighter?
Simone Biles has been the biggest game-changer when it comes to gymnastics. She not only revolutionized the sport but also fought for mental health. However, beneath the celebrations and recently won gold medals, there’s much more about Simone that is yet to be revealed. It is not news that the pressure associated with being Simone Biles is a small one and she knows this too well.
And, no matter how well Simone Biles covers and plays it cool, she does acknowledge the pressures in her own words as she posted in Instagram in July 2021, “I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times. I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but damn sometimes it’s hard.” And guess what? It’s not just Simone who is all the feels after her latest wins–other icons are equally hyped! They’re all saying how proud they are of Simone and her journey.
Simone Biles receives all the love from other icons!
When SI dropped the news on X, Mikaela Shiffrin was quick to jump in, sharing her excitement: “So deserved! Love to see it, @Simone_Biles!” I mean, come on, how awesome is it to watch these two legends motivate each other? Simone became the first Olympian in the last decade to win the SI Sportsperson of the Year award since LeBron James in 2012. Still, as you can imagine, Simone said it has not fully dawned on her that she has achieved all that. She said, “I don’t think the reality has set in of what I’ve exactly done in the sport. I can see it, and I hear it from people, and I see a glimpse of it, but the full magnitude I don’t think I’ve realized just yet.”
The official award for Simone is just around the corner, she will receive it on the 7th of January in Las Vegas at the Sportsperson of the Year event. But of course, Simone’s achievements are not only shocking everyone outside her close circle, but they are also making a splash in her circle as well. Her husband Jonathan Owens could not be happier for her – he reposted the news on his Instagram story twice, “So proud of you baby,” and a message full of hearts and love.
Simone’s childhood coach, Aimee Boorman, also joined in, sharing her pride: “Never Surprised, Always Proud. Congratulations @simonebiles.” Adria Biles, Simone’s sister, couldn’t help but marvel at her sister’s beauty, posting about the stunning photoshoot by Shaniqwa Jarvis: “ugh she is so prettyyyyyyy.” And last but not least, Cecile Landi couldn’t hold back: “So well deserved.” The love for Simone is infinite, and it can be obviously seen that around her, she has quite a supporting cast, and now she confidently faces yet another glorious victory in her impressive list of achievements.
