Simone Biles, an Olympic gymnast, shared a heartwarming moment on her Instagram Story where her dad, Ronald Biles, was seen using binoculars to watch her compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She expressed how cute she found her dad’s action and shared a photo of him sitting next to her mom, Nellie Biles, and her husband, Jonathan Owens. The U.S. women’s gymnastics team, which included Simone, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera, won the gold medal during the team competition. With this win, Simone officially became the most decorated American Olympic gymnast, surpassing Shannon Miller with eight medals.
Simone expressed her nonchalant attitude towards her achievements, stating that she doesn’t keep count or stats and just focuses on doing what she loves and enjoys. She mentioned that she would have had to Google the news on beating Miller as she doesn’t keep track of her records. The Team USA women’s gymnasts will continue their competitions, with the women’s all-around competition being scheduled for Thursday, followed by individual event finals for vault, balance beam, and floor exercise from Saturday to Monday.
After receiving their gold medals, Simone and her teammates shared photos on social media, holding up an American flag. Simone also posted a caption that seemed to indirectly reference former teammate MyKayla Skinner’s comments about the work ethic of the 2024 gymnasts. Skinner had criticized the gymnasts for lacking talent and laziness, which led to her comments being interpreted negatively. She later apologized, clarifying that her remarks were misinterpreted and that she supports and is proud of all the girls who made it to the Olympics.
Skinner had mentioned the impact of SafeSport, which was established in 2017, on the coaching and training methods in gymnastics. She highlighted the difficulty of balancing discipline and aggression while maintaining a healthy and safe training environment. Simone indirectly responded to the controversy by suggesting that not everyone needs a platform to voice their opinions. Skinner’s comments ignited a debate on the work ethic and talent level of the current generation of gymnasts compared to the past, with different perspectives on the evolving nature of the sport.
Simone Biles continued to focus on her own performances and preparations for the upcoming competitions, including the individual event finals. She maintained her dedication to her sport and her love for gymnastics, despite external controversies and criticisms. The dynamics within the gymnastics community highlighted the challenges and expectations placed on athletes, coaches, and individuals in the public eye. The discussions around work ethic, talent, and training methods underscored the evolving landscape of gymnastics and the diverse perspectives within the sport.
