U.S. gymnastics champion, Simone Biles, has had an intense year.
Full of ups and downs, Biles’ career continues to be inspirational to us all, and TIME Magazine recognized her contributions to the sport by naming her “Athlete of the Year.”
And it’s well-deserved.
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Biles was forced to tap out of several Olympic events after suffering from a case of “the twisties.” At one point, there was doubt over whether she would return to the global event.
After much soul-searching, Biles eventually returned to the event and won a bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics in the balance beam final. She now holds seven Olympic medals — tying her with Shannon Miller for the most by a U.S. gymnast.
Biles’ courage and perseverance was not enough for some, who expected her to return home with five gold medals. She faced heartless backlash from fierce critics, including members of the media.
She still insisted she did not regret heading to Tokyo:
“Obviously, there are still a lot of feels and emotions behind it, but as far as my Olympic experience goes, it was very unique and there is nothing like it,” she said. “I believe everything happens for a reason, so I wouldn’t take it back for the world.”
TIME’s ode to Biles echoed her stirring determination.
“While supporters lauded Biles, critics lambasted her for “quitting.” But what Biles did transcended the chatter: she fought the stigma that has long silenced athletes, and shrugged off the naysayers who belittled her decision. “If I were going to quit, I had other opportunities to quit,” she says. “There is so much I’ve gone through in this sport, and I should have quit over all that—not at the Olympics. It makes no sense,” the article reads in part.
You can read the full article here.
