Simone Biles, the legendary gymnast who recently won her sixth all-around world championship gold at the 2023 World Championship in Belgium. This was after the G.O.A.T break from professional gymnastics for two years, after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
On October 11, Simone Biles thanked everyone, including her loved ones and fans, who supported her after winning the sixth all-around gold at the world championship, on her Instagram story. She wrote, “I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to fans, friends & family & partnerships who have been unwavering pillars of support throughout my mental health journey”.
Biles appreciated the love and encouragement she received from everyone, and it was faith in her that led her to recovery and success. The 26-year-old thanked her supporters for cheering her on, as it gave her the strength to push through the toughest moment of her life. She expressed that she feels truly blessed to have such support in her life.
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Biles has previously mentioned how nervous she was before making her comeback, to the point where she was ready to retire. But her peers and coach helped her throughout the recovery process, and she came back stronger.
Biles’ biggest supporter during her time off was her husband, Jonathan Owens, who is an NFL player. She met him during the pandemic of 2020. After two years of dating, the couple got married in a courthouse ceremony in April 2023, and later had another beautiful ceremony in Cabo San Lucas.
What happened to Simone Biles in the Tokyo Olympics?
After winning four gold medals in a single Olympic game in 2016, Biles had high hopes for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which got delayed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Biles shocked everyone when she withdrew from several events right before the finals. It was because the gymnast lost her balance in midair while performing her vault, which is a phenomenon suffered by many gymnasts called “the twisties“.
Official statement: “Simone Biles has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue. She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions.”
Thinking of you, Simone! pic.twitter.com/QA1GYHwWTv
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) July 27, 2021
The 24-year-old gymnast had planned to perform Amanar, known as a very different vault with two-and-a-half twists. However, she lost her bearing, completed only one and a half twists, and struggled on landing as well.
A few moments later, it was announced that the U.S.A. gymnast had decided to withdraw from the competition. She then took a two-year break from being a professional gymnast to prioritize her mental health. As of now, Biles holds the remarkable record for most international gymnastics medals, with a total count of 37, including the Olympics and World Championships.