Simone Biles was named the 2021 Athlete of the Year by TIME magazine on Dec. 9. The Olympic champion also graced the cover of the latest issue.
The 24-year-old is a four-time Olympic gold medalist and has 19 World Championship gold medals. She is the most decorated U.S. Women’s gymnast in history. The GOAT’s record speaks for itself.
She also showed incredible grace when she was forced to withdraw from several competitions during the Olympics in Tokyo for health reasons. Expected to dominate and bring home several gold medals, Biles withdrew after experiencing a case of the “twisties” during practice. The phenomenon is extremely dangerous because the gymnast gets lost in the air, which can cause serious injury and paralysis. With her head and body not in sync, she decided not to compete.
She cheered her teammates on despite her disappointment, including Suni Lee, who became the first Hmong American gymnast to win an Olympic gold medal. Biles was also able to continue in the Games after a break and brought home an Olympic silver team medal and an Olympic bronze medal for her performance on the balance beam.
Her brave move is changing how athletes are prioritizing their health over the risk of permanent injury. Colin Kaepernick told TIME that Biles helped to spark an international conversation about mental health and has influenced the world outside of sports.
“Simone Biles has used her remarkable position as the world’s greatest gymnast ever to inspire a long overdue global conversation on mental health,” he said. “Her influence extends far beyond the realm of sports and shows us that another world—a better world—is possible when we speak our truths with integrity and authenticity.”
She is also one of the courageous women who testified before the Senate against the former team physician, Dr. Larry Nassar. The disgraced former doctor molested young gymnasts for years, and Biles noted that the U.S.A. Gymnastics, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and F.B.I. did not do enough to stop him.
Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) is TIME's 2021 Athlete of the Year #TIMEPOY https://t.co/yz9BkuDnto pic.twitter.com/y4FhB0HxAA
— TIME (@TIME) December 9, 2021
The well-deserved honors keep coming for Biles. The Olympic gold medalist was also named one of PEOPLE magazine’s 2021 People of the Year for her actions at the Olympics and for mental health advocacy.
View this post on Instagram
The champion is an inspiration and source of strength for millions. The G.O.A.T. was in New York for Athleta’s Gold Over America Tour when she surprised a group of young gymnasts from the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Academy. Hilliard was the first Black person on the U.S. national rhythmic gymnastics team.
“It’s the season of sweet surprises! I had so much fun working with @Athleta during the Gold Over America Tour to surprise these amazing gymnasts from the @WendyHilliardFoundation. #athletapartner.”
View this post on Instagram
Biles was also named one of TIME’s most influential people of 2021 back in October and noted her decision to withdraw from competitions during the Tokyo Olympics.
“Simone Biles, meanwhile, redefined what it means to win in sports. At this year’s Olympics, she stood up for herself and changed the way we think about athletes’ mental health.”
View this post on Instagram
She told the magazine that she felt empowered by her decision.
“That’s probably one of the first times in my career where I felt courageous and I felt like I had got to speak up for myself,” she said. “I definitely can walk away from Tokyo, feeling courage, feeling at ease. And I did everything I could.”
