Aug 3, 2024; Paris, France; Simone Biles of the United States during the national anthem with her gold medal during the medal ceremony for the vault on the first day of gymnastics event finals during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Bercy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Paris Olympics witnessed some trailblazer moments across various subjects, including the number of female athletes who didn’t just participate but also ended up with podium positions. Simone Biles, who has always championed the participation of women in sports, has celebrated this on several occasions after the two-week-long event.
In a conversation with Vogue, she discussed how crucial this milestone was for aspiring female athletes. Team USA alone not only sent in more female athletes this time, but the women also showed up and shone brightly by winning the most medals among the contingent’s total – 67 out of 126!
For Biles, this called for celebration, especially after hearing comments on how no one would want to watch women in sports — a narrative that emerged and became a hot topic during the Olympics this year. After the IOC declared that about 50% of the Olympians this year were women, the gymnast expressed her joy.
“We need women in sports. That number was so important as a demonstration to younger generations.“
Women were changing narratives, and the GOAT was here to witness the difference it brought about in sports. Her loyal brand partner Athleta already had their focus surrounding women empowerment with their tagline — ‘The Power of She.’ And who better than Biles to embody the motto and strive to shine the spotlight on it with her presence and words?
“It is exciting to see how far women have come in sports, and how we’ve kind of changed that narrative.”
Speaking of having a strong female contingency at the Olympics, Biles might also have some updates surrounding her appearance at the LA 2028 Games.
After a star-studded closing ceremony, during which she symbolically passed on the flag to Hollywood hunk Tom Cruise as part of the Olympics’ ritual, several had questions about her potential participation.
Biles is already the senior-most gymnast who has actively involved herself in the sport, participating in various competitions. At 27, her skills and talent remain unmatched, and she already has five moves named after her since no one else has been able to attempt those.
However, it seems that she is still not over her time in Paris, as she confessed that she has not yet fully processed her victories.
“...it’s about processing what I’ve done here. But now it’s done, it’s over. I’m going to take some time off this fall, I have a tour coming up, and then… we’ll see.“
It’s crucial to note here that Biles’ star coach, Cecile Landi, has already moved on to become the co-head gymnastics coach at the University of Georgia. Meanwhile, by the time LA 2028 rolls in, the GOAT will be in her 30s.
Having recently said goodbye to one of her signature moves—the Yurchenko Double Pike—that triggered her infamous twisties at the Tokyo Olympics, it is difficult to predict Biles’ future. However, no matter what role she picks up, fans will always stand by her and the causes she stands up for.
