Simone Biles Says She ‘Never Imagined’ Winning a Medal When She Started Gymnastics: ‘I Just Wanted to Have Fun’

“When I started doing gymnastics when I was 6, I never imagined winning medals and everything I’ve been fortunate enough to do up until this point,” Biles said.

While accepting her honor as Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year, the 7-time Olympic gold medalist gave a short, but impactful speech about her journey from junior gymnast to making history.

“When I started doing gymnastics when I was 6, I never imagined winning medals and everything I’ve been fortunate enough to do up until this point. I just wanted to have fun and hopefully get a college scholarship. I’ve kind of surpassed all of that, which is super exciting, but everyday I spend competing alongside my teammates is truly a gift,” Biles said.

Taking time in her speech to give words of advice to the younger generation of gymnasts, Biles, 27, told them to push forward despite obstacles.

“No matter what life may throw at you along your journey, be the best person you can be, follow your passion, and put in the work, and you know that I see the gold within all of you,” Biles said to those in attendance, which also included long-time friend and former teammate Aly Raisman, who presented her with the honor.

Elsewhere in her acceptance speech, Biles shared loving words of thanks for her husband, Chicago Bears player Jonathan Owens, and noted the rise and increased spotlight on women’s sports in 2024.

On Thursday, Jan. 2, Biles was named by Sports Illustrated as the 2024 Sportsperson of the Year, following her record-breaking performance at the Paris Olympics that served as a redemption from her early exit in the Tokyo Games where she experienced the “twisties.”

In the interview for the feature, Biles hinted that her time as an Olympian may have come to an end.

“Because I’ve accomplished so much, there’s almost nothing left to do, rather than to just be snobby and to try again and for what? I’m at a point in my career where I’m humble enough to know when to be done,” the most decorated gymnast in history said of her chances competing with Team USA at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.