Shrugging Off Simone Biles’ ‘Quitter’ Tag, 3x Olympian Lauds Gymnastics GOAT’s Mental Health Struggle: ‘So Proud’

The ‘Awesome Dawesome’ is herself awestruck by the gymnastics GOAT Simone Biles. Dominique Dawes was one of the iconic gymnasts of her time. She was a member of the famous ‘Magnificent Seven’ team that won the gold in 1996, Atlanta. Apart from that, Dawes also holds the incredible distinction of competing in three Olympic editions. A feat very few gymnasts have been able to achieve so far.

In a recent video uploaded on YouTube by Monumental Sports Network, Dawes talked about the Simone Biles effect. Speaking on the immediate impact brought in by Biles, Dawes highlighted that Biles’ was different. Her ability to keep her physical and mental self ahead of the sport was something to be marveled at. The 47-year-old said that back in the day, nobody could open up about a mental health issue.

Giving Biles her flowers for showing the courage to open up Dawes recalled, “When I was growing up, discussing mental health in gymnastics was taboo. If you mentioned it, people thought something was wrong with you. With a family history of mental health struggles, I think it’s wonderful that athletes today feel free to speak up and seek help without fear of judgement.” Dawes also mentioned how she was immensely proud of the feats that the gymnastics queen had achieved.

She stated that coming back after a setback at 27 years old was remarkable enough. But the fact that Biles was able to rule in her third Olympics outing shows just how special she truly was. Dawes also pointed out how gymnastics in the 90s were heavily influenced by the Eastern European coaching mentality.

Recalling a gruesome incident, the 3x Olympian stated that during her trip to the Barcelona Olympics, they had a ‘No Pain No Spain’ motto. This meant that the athletes were not allowed to complain about any mental or physical stress, which was a shocking prospect for the athletes’ well-being in the long run. Meanwhile, the Simone Biles effect not only had a lasting impact on Dawes but also on her four little kids.

Dominique Dawes’ kids awestruck by Simone Biles despite mother’s impressive career

Dominique Dawes belongs to the elite list of gymnasts who competed in three Olympics. Being a member of the US National gymnastics team, Dawes is a 4x Olympic gold medalist. Interestingly, besides winning the gold medal in 1996, Dawes also has an impeccable record in the games. In every edition of the Olympics she took part in, Dawes secured at least one medal.

By far, her Atlanta outing was the best of the lot. She clinched the team gold and also went on to win the bronze in floor exercise. Back in 1992, her first Olympics, the now 47-year-old kicked off her Olympics journey with a team bronze medal. Finally, she signed off her final Olympic appearance by winning a team bronze medal in Sydney 2000. Dawes also has 3 silver and 1 bronze medal in the World Championships.

Interestingly, despite her overly accomplished career, Dawes’ kids seem to be more impacted by Simone Biles. Speaking about Biles’ interaction with her kids, Dawes said, “Whenever I’ve met her, she’s been kind and gracious to my four little ones.” She also shared a funny exchange between her kids. The 47-year-old icon said, “They often ask, “Mommy, is Simone better than you?” tell them, “Well, for today, yes-but back in the day, I was pretty good too!”” Thus, changing the narrative of modern-day gymnastics, Simone Biles is getting all the love she deserves. Now, it remains to be seen how she can further continue her quest as the GOAT in the days to come.

Simone Biles came into the Paris Olympics carrying a mountain of pressure. The Tokyo Olympics had left her in a media whirlwind, with cameras and expectations glued to her every move. The aftermath was rough, and in Netflix’s Simone Biles Rising Part 1, we got a peek into the sheer intensity she faced. Clips show cameras in her face, media declaring her as the ‘gold medal favorite’ long before she even stepped on the mat. And after her withdrawal due to the “Twisties,” the backlash was brutal—online trolls branded her a “quitter,” “selfish,” and worse. But this time around?

Simone Biles had a different game plan: protect her peace at the Paris Olympics. She explained, “Because of everything that did happen in Tokyo. So we wanted to try to take a different approach and not talking to media. Just kind of staying in my zone. Still following up with my therapist. I turned off the comments on my Instagram, which I don’t care. If you wanna comment good or bad, you’re not gonna be allowed. And then, Twitter, I’ve actually deleted a couple times off my phone. So yeah, I think I’m getting there.” Spoiler alert—it worked. Biles walked away from Paris with three gold medals.

Of course, fans had a lot to say. One X user, Maile, put it perfectly: “Olympic gymnast Simone Biles had to delete Twitter/X off her phone to compete at the Olympics. She was able to keep her other social media but said X was just too hateful, vile, and full of negativity. Why is that? Why do people behave so poorly here in a way they would never on another platform?”

Simone Biles was laser-focused heading into Paris, and she made some big sacrifices to keep it that way. Social media was just the beginning—she also took a serious step back from the media circus. No fan photos, no pre-competition interviews, no snapshots with starstruck admirers. Her mission was clear: stay locked in, eyes on the prize, and chase redemption on the competition days at the Paris Olympics.

Reflecting on her Tokyo experience, Simone felt that all the hype and attention in the lead-up had only piled on the pressure. So, despite knowing some might criticize her choice, she went full steam ahead. In Simone Biles Rising, her resolve was crystal clear, and fans rallied behind her, applauding her every decision. This comment set off a firestorm.

Why should a world-class athlete like Simone have to dodge social media just to get in the right headspace for competition? And when did fans lose all compassion for what she’s been through? They even took it upon themselves to shield her from any online hate.

The gymternet was all-in on Simone’s decision to protect her peace at the Paris Olympics. Fans rallied to her side on X, with one saying, “Oh it is way worse on FB, Instagram and TikTok.” But this is true for all platforms online. In fact, social media users know the comment sections can get brutal, but Simone didn’t ditch Instagram or TikTok because, well, she actually enjoys creating content there!

In an interview with TODAY, she said, “Insta is good. It’s a good way to connect. It’s a way to share what we’re going through. And TikTok. I’ve tried to make a little more TikToks, I’m not the greatest at that. I’m learning.” Safe to say, Biles wasn’t leaving these apps anytime soon—unless, of course, things took a nasty turn. Another fan commented on X, “There are other possibilities to why she might do that,” hinting at deeper reasons.

True enough, Simone’s decision to delete X was simple but necessary. The post-Tokyo backlash had been intense. She even told Alex Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast, “As soon as I landed, I was like, oh, America hates me. The world is gonna hate me. And I can only see what they’re saying on Twitter right now… I was, I thought I was gonna be banned from America because that’s what they tell you. Don’t come back if it’s not gold, gold or bust, don’t come back.” So, to avoid history repeating itself, she hit pause on X—for her mental health. The irony?

One fan summed it up bluntly: “The reality (my opinion, of course) is this…PEOPLE ARE UGLY. Full stop. Don’t care which direction you “lean” ugliness flows in all directions. She kept her other platforms… why? Because those platforms block, censor, and dictate what’s acceptable or not, yet it depends on what & who it is towards those platforms.”  They added that X is like a town square where people know it’s nearly a free-for-all, allowing almost anything to be said.

The fan wasn’t sympathetic to the idea of Biles leaving because people were so mean, pointing out it’s a humanity problem, not just an X issue. But they’d take the hate if it meant freedom of speech, noting it’s up to adults to block or ignore the nastiness. That being said, the 11x Olympic medalist had a massive outpouring of love, too.

But platforms like Twitter often give hate the loudest mic. Things got so bad after Tokyo that even public figures were taking shots. Ohio Senator JD Vance weighed in with, “What I find so weird about this–and it reflects on the media more than it does on Simone Biles – is that we’ve tried to turn a very tragic moment, Simone Biles quitting the Olympic team, into this act of heroism.”

Luckily, her Paris performance shut down the critics. One fan perfectly summed up the general sentiment: “It’s unfortunate that Twitter/X often amplifies the loudest and most toxic voices, making it difficult for people like Simone Biles to maintain their mental well-being.” So, what do you think? Did Simone Biles make the best choice for her mental health by taking a break from the hate? Whatever your take, let’s remember this: she just added four Olympic medals to her collection, three of them gold, in a jaw-dropping comeback!

Simone Biles Rising offers an inspiring and insightful view into the enigmatic gymnast’s journey to the Paris Olympics, but also looks at the issues of age and early retirement in the sport. Simone Biles is recognized as one of the most successful gymnasts in history, but she faced struggles with her physical and mental health that impacted her performances. The Netflix documentary series examines her withdrawal from the competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and how she overcame her physical and mental traumas in order to compete at the 2024 Paris games.

In the two-part documentary, Biles opens up about the struggles she endured which brought about her decision to leave the Tokyo games and the backlash she faced following her decision to prioritize her mental health over winning an Olympic medal. Reviews of Simone Biles Rising have called it a structured and emotional tale of the immense pressure Biles was feeling at the games and her eventual return to glory. The docuseries also examines the issues of a competitor’s age at the Olympics and the questions of early retirement from competition.

At Age 46 In Tokyo 2020, Oksana Chusovitina Became The Oldest Female Gymnast To Compete In The Olympics

Oksana Chusovitina Competed in Eight Olympics Across Her Career

In the documentary series, Simone Biles discusses her experiences at the Olympics and the mental struggles she faced when she decided to withdraw from the 2020 games. Across her gymnastics career, Biles has competed in four Olympic Games, and has won a total of 11 Olympic medals in both singles and team competitions, including four at the 2024 Paris Games. Her success in Paris made Biles the oldest gymnast to represent the United States at the Olympics since the 1952 Helsinki Games, where Marie Margaret Hosely competed at the age of 35 (via USA Today).

In Tokyo 2020, Uzbek gymnast Oksana Chusovitina set a record by becoming the oldest female gymnast to compete in the Olympics, at the age of 46. Throughout her career, Chusovitina represented three different countries – Uzbekistan, Germany, and the Unified Team – and won two medals in 1992 and 2008. Although she wasn’t successful in placing at the 2020 Games, Oksana Chusovitina remains the only gymnast in history to compete in eight Olympic Games across four decades.

What Age Female Olympian Gymnasts Usually Retire At & Why

Gymnasts Usually Retire At A Younger Age Than Other Athletes

Since the 2024 Paris Games, rumors of Simone Biles’ potential retirement from competitive gymnastics have been shared. The talented gymnast has not made any confirmation about retirement but in an interview with Reuters, she stated that she “is really getting old” in terms of participating in competition. At the event, Simone Biles was the oldest member of the gymnastics team representing the United States; her team members, Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezley Rivera were all between the ages of 16 and 24 during the games.

Female Olympian gymnasts usually retire from competition when they reach their mid-twenties; only a few competitors, such as Germany’s Kim Bui and Italy’s Vanessa Ferrari have continued gymnastics into their thirties. A study by Synergy Gymnastics shows that the average age of a female Olympic gymnast is 20 years old. The study also points out the high demand that the sport of gymnastics has for an athlete, both physically and mentally, which is what impacted Biles throughout her gymnastics career. Given the young age of retirement for female gymnasts, it would be understandable if Biles did decide to take a step back from competition at this stage.

How Simone Biles’ Age Compares To Other Record-Breaking Olympic Gymnasts

She Is Regarded As One Of The Greatest Gymnasts Of All Time

The question of retirement for Biles has increased since the 2024 Paris Games; she was 27 at the time of competing, significantly older than similar Olympic gymnasts. In the docuseries, Biles expresses that at the age of 27, her body is “on a ticking time bomb” in terms of her abilities at the games. Biles’ success and age at the Olympics has been compared to other successful gymnasts, including Nadia Comaneci, Mary Lou Retton, and Aly Raisman, who all retired before the age of 25.

However, it should be noted that Simone Biles is close in age to Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, who won a record 18 Olympic medals between 1956 and 1964. Latynina competed in the 1964 Olympic Games at age 29, where she won 6 medals; she continued competing professionally until her early thirties (via The New York Times). The question of whether Simone Biles will continue to compete or not remains under debate, but as Simone Biles Rising shows, she is at a better stage in her life than she was at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

One just cannot keep Simone Biles out of the fame game. While she was down and out after the Tokyo Olympics, what followed next was a meteoric rise. Taking a self-oath to obliterate all the possible obstacles an average human cannot overcome, Biles soon became a living example of elite personnel. Coming back in the 2023 Worlds, Biles got back into her winning ways.

And the addiction to gold became such a sweet retreat, the 27-year-old kept adding more and more to her kitty. Owning the game at the US trials, Biles came to the Paris Olympics with only one goal. To redeem her lost pride. After a torn calf muscle, a hyperextended knee, and 4 Olympic medals (including 3 gold), there was no doubt as to who the boss was.

Thus, it is only natural that one of the biggest OTT platforms in the world would try to capitalize on Biles’ skyrocketing popularity. In one such demonstration of fame, Netflix uploaded a promo featuring snippets of their most hyped shows. And, adding a pleasant twist for the gymnastics fans was the inclusion of Simone Biles.

Biles immediately shared it, captioning the post, “Have you watched it yet? It’s so good.” The entire Biles presentation and the dialogues were presented in a rather funny manner. Catching the essence of the same, fellow US men’s gymnast Donnell Whittenburg could not control his laughter. He immediately took to the comments section and wrote, “You in the F1, had me crying.”

Mentions of their worldwide blockbusters such as ‘Wednesday’, ‘Squid Games’, and ‘Stranger Things’ kicked off the video. At the end of the video, Biles could be seen inside a racing car. Promoting Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive’, the gymnastics queen apparently got interested in racing. Biles could be heard saying, “But I binged Drive to Survive and I felt like racing could be my next thing. My favorite part was…” At this point, Biles ignited the gas and her car took off.

Surely, Simone Biles has now become much more than just a world champion athlete. With her market value growing out of orbit each day, Biles has now extended her territory into the entertainment side of things as well. And this was not her maiden tryst with Netflix. In fact, Biles has been quite a hit among Netflix users for a long time. Thanks to her incredible documentary.

Simone Biles writes success story with her ‘Rising’ Netflix tale

It was an exceptional idea for director Katie Walsh to document the life story of Simone Biles. Taking up the monumental task, she successfully included all the cinematic elements from Biles’ life to come up with a masterpiece. Releasing just before the Paris games, ‘Simone Biles Rising’ was an instant hit. Treading some of the uncharted territories of the gymnast’s life, the viewers binge-watched the two-part documentary just like their favorite Netflix shows.

As a matter of fact, the first part of the documentary also had some exclusive caviars to its name. According to an update from fixpatrol, the docuseries skyrocketed as the number 1 trending show on Netflix’s top 10 list. Dethroning popular TV series like Vikings: Valhalla and Homicide, Simone Biles Rising surely made a stir among the fans. Additionally, it also got an Emmy nomination, the top award in television, to further bolster the glam quotient of the show.

Thus, with the first part laying the groundwork, the second installment was only the icing on the cake. Focusing on her triumphant Paris takeover, Biles could be seen promoting her Netflix association with pride. A few days back, she was spotted attending the premiere of the show with her parents and her sister, Adria Biles, by her side. Now getting involved more with Netflix, it remains to be seen what more surprises Simone Biles has up her sleeves in the days to come.

Simone Biles is currently at the top of the gymnastics world. Having made up her mind not to be called a ‘quitter’ again, Biles owned the competition in Paris. Winning an astonishing 3 gold and a silver medal, she nullified the GOAT debate once and for all. However, things did not come easy for the champion.

Battling with a torn calf muscle and a hyperextended knee on the very first day of the competition, Biles could have given up. But she was never a quitter. Thus, getting back to the grind, the 27-year-old came out as the purest form of gymnastics gold. And now, venturing into several fields owing to her immense success, Biles surely has no unfulfilled dreams left. Or does she?

Well, apparently there is just one thing that Biles never got to do, which was her childhood dream. In an exclusive interview with Olympics.com, Simone Biles got candid about her famed life. Revealing her only unfulfilled desire, the champion stated that she always wanted to compete in college gymnastics. Reflecting on the topic, Biles said, “My main goal whenever I started gymnastics and I really, really got into it was to do college gymnastics. And I did everything but that.”

Starting her gymnastics journey as a junior elite at 14, Biles’ talent soon got her busy. Growing up, she was always fascinated about getting admitted to UCLA and winning the NCAA championships for her college team. Unfortunately, she did win her accolades, but on an international level.

Back in August 2014, Biles verbally committed to UCLA, even signing her National Letter of Intent that November, with a plan to start school after the 2016 Rio Olympics. And let’s face it—finding time for in-person classes wasn’t exactly realistic with her schedule. Simone Biles faced a tough call: either go full-throttle on her gymnastics dreams by turning pro or stick with her dream of competing in the NCAA for UCLA, balancing college life with elite gymnastics.

Spoiler alert—she chose the vaults and beams full-time! Just a year later, she made the big decision to go pro, announcing in July 2015 that she’d pass on college gymnastics eligibility to pursue her career. Though she couldn’t make it to UCLA’s campus, Biles still finished her education online, studying business administration at the University of the People. And did it all pay off? Absolutely!

She went pretty much over and above her initial expectations to become the all-time greatest gymnast. Recognized almost everywhere she goes, Biles gets overwhelmed when she is compared with the likes of LeBron James and Serena Williams. Now that is something that Biles will take happily despite missing out on her childhood dreams. However, having been involved with the sport for such a long time, Simone Biles still feels like she is the same old girl who started to jump around her house trying to be a star.

Simone Biles tries to keep the fame-hype ‘normal’

Imagine spotting Simone Biles out in the open. The immediate rush of fans and the innumerable flashlights will surely be an expected phenomenon. Well, this is something that sometimes overwhelms the champion. Because, according to her, she is still pretty much the old Simone. And surely, Biles does try to keep herself as unfiltered as she can. She still munches on her favorite American pizza and also participates in friendly banters with her family and teammates.

Thus, whenever she gets recognized as a star, in her mind, Simone Biles tries to keep things as normal as possible. Conversing with Olympics.com, Biles stated, “It still blows my mind everywhere we go that somebody recognizes me because to me I’m just still Simone, and I try to be as normal as possible, and I truly believe I am. I feel like I have a pretty good level head, so if I wasn’t Simone, I’d do everything that I want to do.

Just sometimes it takes a little bit more security or stuff.”  Thus, keeping a level head, Simone Biles has now transcended the realms of gymnastics. She is now a living legend who is a source of inspiration for the world at just 27 years old.

When life throws you a curveball, it can be tough to adjust, and that’s exactly what Simone Biles‘s fellow performer, Donnell Whittenburg, 30, experienced when he announced his participation in Simone Biles’s Gold Over America Tour (GOAT). Fans were over the moon, especially considering that both he and Biles, at 27, are proving that age is just a number in a sport that usually favors younger athletes.

Simone has silenced doubts about her longevity by reclaiming the Olympic all-around title, while Whittenburg earned the nickname “The Heart of a Lion” for his determination during the Olympic trials. Fans were excited to see them shine together on stage, but fate had other plans when Whittenburg had to exit the tour midway due to an injury, prompting admiration from his colleagues, including Biles.

On September 23, the day of the GOAT show in Salt Lake City, Whittenburg took to social media to share the news of his exit, citing his injury as the reason. He delivered a heartfelt message on Instagram, saying, “Unfortunately, I got hurt on the tour. It’s tough to step away, especially all the work I put in. But health comes first. To my tour family, I’m cheering for you every single day! I know you’ll bring all the energy, passion, and magic to the stage. I’ll be supporting you guys all the way.”

This sentiment reflects Biles’s experience three years ago in Tokyo, where she had to put her well-being first. Just as Biles encouraged her teammates to savor their first Olympic experience, Whittenburg urged fans to enjoy the tour and “stay GOLDEN ⭐️” despite his absence. However, at that time, the future seemed uncertain for him. But then came a surprising twist.

On the 28th of October, things started looking up for Donnell as he recovered enough to rejoin the other gymnasts on the Gold Over America Tour! While he’s still using crutches and a boot part of the time, it’s a step in the right direction. It’s unclear if he’ll be participating in all the remaining shows or just making a special appearance in the Gold Over America Tour in Cleveland, but it’s evident he won’t be performing at the same level he was before his injury.

Meanwhile, Riley Loos, who joined the tour after Donnell’s departure, continues to participate in the group routines with the rest of the team. This whole situation hasn’t gone unnoticed; Reddit users have been sharing their thoughts and reactions about it all!

Simone Biles’s fellow performer, Donnell Whittenburg’s tour absence sparks emotional reactions!

One fan added, “Not seeing Donnell on the tour was the single saddest moment of my gymnastics life.” Another added, “That’s great! Glad he still gets to join in on the fun.” 

This year has been especially hard on Donnell Whittenburg, who prepared for his third Olympic Trials. Unfortunately, he failed to get the chance. Subsequently, he has had some near-shaves; eight years ago at his first trials, this Baltimore-born-and-bred guy was as close to his dream as was named an alternate for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Whittenburg also did not qualify for Olympic trials in 2020 and didn’t even make it onto the team. He has competed in the trials three times: 2012, 2016, and 2020—and he knows what it is like to be on the cusp of making the team. He has often said that the Olympic Games have been his goal since 2016, and that is why he returned because he has been on the edge at some point. But in the end, he was a non-traveling reserve for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

One more fan added, “I was really disappointed that he and Fred both missed the Baltimore show. But I know they had good reasons.” Well, Simone Biles kicked off the 30-city arena tour called the “Gold Over America Tour” (GOAT) in September. For the 2024 edition, she was joined by her Olympic gold medal-winning teammates Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, and Hezly Rivera, along with U.S. Olympic team bronze medalists Paul Juda, Brody Malone, and Frederick Richard. The tour promised to be “a high-energy and high-flying gymnastics-meets-pop-concert spectacle,” which sounded like a blast!

But that wasn’t all—there was an incredible lineup of other gymnasts taking part, including Olympic alternate Joscelyn Roberson, Tokyo 2020 Olympians Shane Wiskus and Yul Moldauer, NCAA standout Trinity Thomas, and world medalists Ellie Black from Canada and Melanie de Jesus dos Santos from France. To top it off, the legendary UCLA gymnastics coach Valorie Kondos Field served as the supervising choreographer for the show.

The support from fans continued to pour in, with one expressing, “I adore him,” and another excitedly adding, “Oh, great news!” As the Gold Over America Tour rolled on, Donnell Whittenburg’s journey showed just how resilient an athlete can be. Despite the setbacks, he remained determined to inspire others, proving that while challenges may come, the spirit of an athlete never fades.

Simone Biles keeps on creating history. Putting behind the dark days of Tokyo, Paris emerged as her light at the end of the tunnel. Aiming to get her redemption sorted, Biles put on quite a show. Initially helping her team to forget the four-year-old mishap, Biles took the lime and her first gold of the Olympics. However, things were just getting started.

Biles then went toe to toe with Rebeca Andrade and secured her all-around gold medal with a stunning floor routine. Racking in one more gold in the vault and a silver on the floor, Biles emerged as the true G.O.A.T. of modern-day gymnastics. And if her accomplishments were not complimenting her elite status, a recent list, featuring just four gymnasts, proved why Simone Biles is the queen.

The 27-year-old has been one of the biggest draws for the American gymnastics realm. In a recent update on X by an account named ‘Splitfloat’, an interesting bit of statistics was shared. It noted the names of gymnasts who won at least one Olympic or a World Championship medal in all 6 categories. The post stated, “Did you know? Simone Biles, Aliya Mustafina, Rebeca Andrade and Jordan Chiles are the only gymnasts this century to have won medals at the World Championships and/or the Olympics in all 6 events of Women’s Artistic Gymnastics. The four have medals for teams, all around, floor, beam, bars and vault.”

Undoubtedly, while the piece of information showcases the elite nature of the four gymnasts, it also highlights Biles’ remarkable skills. After all, there are a lot of names that are surprisingly missing from the coveted list. And that includes legends like Nadia Comaneci, Shawn Johnson, Laurie Hernandez, and more. Notably, each of these gymnasts was termed a generational talent who kept the fans mesmerized for years.

Then there is Suni Lee. In the absence of Simone Biles, Lee grabbed her chance in Tokyo. Making the most out of her talent, Lee dazzled and took home the all-around gold. Coming back to Paris, Lee won the team gold and also notched up bronze medals in the all-around and the uneven bars. Still, she did not qualify for the list, as there were still some categories that remained uncharted for Suni Lee. Yet, together, Biles and Andrade have shattered a century-old record, elevating gymnastics to new heights.

Thus, it is quite evident how difficult it is to tick all the boxes. And this is where lies the greatness of Simone Biles. As a matter of fact, Biles almost had a deja vu of Tokyo in Paris. But despite her troubles, she was razor-focused on her goals, which ultimately bore rich fruits.

Simone Biles fought through her calf injury to become a G.O.A.T.

It is never an easy path to ascend to the pinnacle of a discipline. After her immense struggles following her Tokyo debacle, Biles was all set for Tokyo. Or so she thought. Standing amidst the shining lights and the cheering crowd at the Bercy Arena, Biles suddenly went numb. After her initial vault during her practice, Biles felt an agonizing pain in her calf.

The 27-year-old ran immediately to Cecile Landi to share her experience. After the initial checkup, Biles was diagnosed with hyperextended knee and a torn calf muscle. Feeling her world coming down in front of her eyes, Biles decided that she could not let her haters call her a ‘quitter’ for a second time. Thus, she went on with the excruciating pain. Reminiscing about her experience, Biles said in her recent Netflix documentary, “Whenever I would land on the floor, I thought I was gonna pass out ’cause it would hurt so bad.” Thus, painting a picture of her sheer champion mentality, Simone Biles remains truly the Greatest of All Time.

Simone Biles has weighed in on the likelihood of her bonding with fellow WAG Taylor Swift – teasing it’s Delicate situation.

The 11-time Olympic medalist, 27, was asked if she planned on spending time with the 34-year-old popstar at any future games at the premiere of her Netflix documentary Simone Biles Rising: Part 2 last week.

Biles is married to Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens, 29, and Swift is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

‘No, I’m currently on tour so unfortunately not,’ Biles said in an interview with Access Hollywood, referring to the Gold Over America Tour.

‘I’ve missed a lot of games. But as soon as we finish tour, then yes.’

However, she then pointed out a barrier between her becoming close to Swift.

‘But you usually don’t bond with opponents,’ she quipped.

The Chiefs and Bears are not scheduled to play each other during the 2024-2025 regular season, but played each other in the preseason in August with the Bears winning 34-21.

Their partners may be opponents but Swift, 34, and Biles have voiced their support for each other in the past.

Biles is currently on her Gold Over America Tour along with teammates Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera.

Together, they’re taking their success from the Paris Summer Olympics throughout the country, performing across the country on the 30-city arena tour.

In June, ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Cruel Summer singer reacted to a video of Biles’ floor routine set to …Ready For It? which was posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.

‘Watched this so many times and still unready. She’s ready for it tho,’ she wrote.

Biles responded to the exchange with Swift during an interview on Today, gushing: ‘I do love her.

‘She is so sweet.’

Swift narrated a promotion video for the Paris Summer Olympics, where she named three of the US athletes: Sha’Carri Richardson and Katie Ledecky.

‘Katie, Sha’Carri, and Simone,’ Swift said in the promo. ‘Three American stars, three different visions of greatness, tonight in Paris.’

Before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, NBC posted a video voiced by Swift on social media.

‘Throughout the last week, her voice has been as significant as her talents,’ it said.

‘Her honesty as beautiful as the perfection that has long been her signature,’ she said in the video.

‘But don’t you see? It still is. She’s perfectly human. And that’s what makes it so easy to call her a hero. Simone Biles, back on the beam in Tokyo.’

With endless energy, joyful swagger and great gymnastics, the GOAT (Gold Over America Tour) show starring Simone Biles and other top gymnasts delivers a wonderful deal of entertainment even for the most avid gymnastics fans.

If you liked the 2021 GOAT post-Tokyo Olympics show, it’s likely you would love even more the current one, which is running in 30 cities across the U.S. until November 3.

Presented by title sponsor Athleta, the show is a mixture of high-energy choreography by all cast members, combined with a high level of gymnastics skills and sequences.

Biles, the most decorated gymnast of world and Olympic history with 41 medals in total, is the star of the production; hence, the name of the show carries the GOAT acronym, a play on references to her as the Greatest of All Time.

The vast difference between the 2021 and 2024 tours is that the current show includes eight male gymnasts (nine, prior to Donnell Whittenburg’ s foot injury), while the 2021 show had an all-female cast.

The male gymnasts include three of the five team members of the U.S. bronze medal-winning team at the Paris Olympics – Paul Juda, Brody Malone and Frederick Richard – plus Tokyo Olympians and Paris Olympic alternates Yul Moldauer and Shane Wiskus. The male cast also includes former U.S. national team member and social media content creator, Ian Gunther, U.S. national team member Riley Loos and two-time Dutch Olympian Casimir Schmidt.

In addition to Biles, the female cast includes three of her four teammates who captured the team gold medal in Paris: Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles and Hezly Rivera. (Suni Lee, the 2021 Olympic all-around champion and the fifth member of the Paris team, is again not part of the tour; she did not participate in the 2021 tour because she was a contestant on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” during the tour).

Four-time Olympian Ellie Black and France’s Melanie de Jesus dos Santos give the show international flavor, as in 2021.

The cast is supported by four female dancers, duo emcees Peng-Peng Lee and Katelyn Ohashi, 2024 U.S. Olympic team alternate Joscelyn Roberson, and former U.S. national team member and NCAA standout Trinity Thomas.

Throughout the two-hour performance, including 20 minutes of intermission, there are subtle messages of resilience, determination and hope, but overall, the show can be labeled as pure fun.

The male gymnasts create most of the dynamics in the show primarily with big gymnastics skills on high bar and floor exercise. 2021 world high bar champion Malone, Richard and Wiskus all perform perfect Kolmans and double-twisting double layouts throughout the several acts. Gunther throws a slick layout Tkatchev to Tkatchev to piked Tkatchev connection, while Moldauer slides in a triple-twisting double layout dismount on one of his turns.

In a Barbie-themed number, with music by Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken,” the male cast dazzles with an energetic tumbling act which culminates to House of Pain’s “Jump Around.” That number includes a synchronized sequence of 2-1/2 twist to front full, multiple triple twists, and several flair sequences among other dynamic tumbling passes.

The gymnastics performed by the women’s cast consist of short sequence of high-level skills surrounded by dance in the specific acts. Under the spotlights Roberson hits a standing full on balance beam, and a double layout on the real floor. Biles dazzles with her impeccable tumbling technique performing a double front full on floor, a double layout and Biles I (double layout half-out) on a smartly designed tumbling rod strip which leads to the main floor mat area. Carey delivers an effortless double layout, and a front tuck step out to a double tuck on the main floor area.

Uneven bars sequences include Maloney to Pak by several of the gymnasts, Maloney to Tkatchev by Rivera, piked Jaeger by Black and several dismounts including dos Santos’ full twisting double layout.

Similar to the 2021 show, the second part features a question-and-answer session with all the current and former U.S. Olympians. They are asked a random question, and after their answer they perform a part of their actual Olympic routine. In that segment of the show Biles delivers the longest balance beam sequence of the production, which includes back handspring layout, switch leap half and a side aerial.

The entire cast unites for fun dancing and tumbling on the floor for one of the most energetic acts of the show, performed to Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em.” This cowboy-themed number also includes four mushrooms which the male gymnasts utilize for circle and flair mini-sequences, wearing jeans and cowboy hats. The act concludes with Biles performing eight circles on one of the mushrooms. Is there anything she can’t do?

A highlight of the show is an act that the cast also performed on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” September 24 while promoting the tour. The number largely consists of high-power tumbling on the rod tumbling strip. Some individual performances are also included on uneven bars, balance beam, pommel horse, parallel bars and high bar which are of the apparatus included in the tour.

Throughout the show the elevated energy level is reinforced with great music icons such as Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, AC/DC, Lizzo, Nicki Minaj, Lenny Kravitz, Andra Day and others.

The GOAT show clearly celebrates the Paris Games accomplishments of Biles (three golds and a silver) and the success of the U.S. gymnastics team as a whole, and applauds the sport of gymnastics in general.

Biles, the entire gymnastics cast, production staff, choreographers and producer Lee Marshall deserve big congratulation for a spectacle well done!

This review was based on the live performance in Fort Worth, Texas on October 20, 2024.