5 Instances where Simone Biles proved that she is the greatest gymnast of the generation

Simone Biles has created a titanic legacy for herself, both as a gymnast and as a sportswoman. Biles was awarded Sportswoman of the Year at the Laureus World Sports Awards. She was also included in the Time magazine list for the 100 most influential people of the year 2025.

Biles isn't the GOAT gymnast for nothing. The 27-year-old has 11 Olympic medals, 30 World Championships medals, and 3 FIG World Cup medals to her credit. She is one of the most successful female gymnasts of all time, only next to the likes of Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina and Czech gymnast Vera Caslavska.

Apart from the several titles, the Olympic champion gymnast has multiple moves named after her. She has launched several campaigns to raise awareness about the mental health of athletes, as well as the cause of women empowerment. A few hiccups aside, the gymnast's journey to stardom has been nothing less than phenomenal.

Simone Biles has a documentary dedicated to her journey, titled 'Simone Biles Rising'. In order to popularize gymnastics amongst the youth, she has held two successful GOAT tours, in 2021 and 2024 respectively.

The following are some of the reasons why Biles continues to inspire generations as one of the greatest gymnasts of all time :

5 occasions where Simone Biles proved why she is the greatest gymnast of all time

#1) Simone's debut at the Rio Olympics in 2016

Biles at the Rio Olympics [Image Source: Getty]

It was at the Rio Olympics in 2016 that Simone Biles proved her mettle as a formidable gymnast. The then 19-year-old gymnast won five medals, including four Olympic gold medals, becoming the female American gymnast to win the most number of gold medals in a single Olympic event.

#2) Simone's awareness campaign for mental health post Tokyo failure

When Biles opened up about the need to raise awareness for mental health [Image Source: Getty]

Simone Biles was expected to nail it at the Tokyo Olympics. However, she had a forgettable campaign, with just a bronze medal and a silver in her kitty. Biles faced backlash from several journalists and fans for allegedly letting her team down.

However, the gymnast boldly responded to the backlash by revealing that she had developed twisties: a condition where the gymnast suffers from brain fade midway during the execution of some gymnastic moves. She further launched a dedicated campaign to raise awareness about the mental health of athletes, a fact for which she was appreciated by one and all.

#3) Simone Biles' social impact

Biles at the US Senate's examination of the FBI's investigation of the Larry Nassar case [Image Source: Getty]

Simone Biles has been quite active on almost all social media platforms. However, she has also used it to raise awareness about several important issues that concern society, from promoting awareness about mental health to speaking out about the controversial Larry Nassar case.

For the unversed, Larry Nassar is a former medical professional who once served as the gymnastics team doctor for the US women's gymnastics team. He was convicted of sexually abusing several gymnasts, including Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, Biles, and so on.

However, when an investigation was launched against the disgraced doctor in 2016, Biles was among the several female gymnasts who called out Nassar for his unspeakable crimes. He was ultimately convicted and sentenced to lifetime imprisonment.

#4) Simone Biles' concept of the GOAT tour

Biles at the Gold Over America Tour 2024 [Image Source: Getty]

Simone Biles redefined gymnastics with her Gold Over America Tour. Launched in 2021, just after the Tokyo Olympics, this would be an innovative blend of sports and entertainment, with a motive to popularize the sport of gymnastics amongst the youth of America as well as the rest of the world.

Biles' initiative was a resounding success, and the second leg of the GOAT Tour was launched in 2024, which included male gymnasts, as well as members of the rhythmic gymnastics team.

#5) Simone Biles' legendary comeback at Paris Olympics

Biles at the Paris Olympics 2024 [Image Source: Getty]

Biles made a smashing comeback at the Paris Olympics held last year. The 27-year-old gymnast had been through a whirlwind experience in the past three years leading up to the quadrennial event in Paris.

A calf injury nearly threatened her aspirations for the Paris Olympics. However, Biles overcame it all to win three Olympic gold medals, becoming the most successful American gymnast of all time. She also won a silver medal in the floor exercise event, making her the joint second most successful female gymnast at the Olympics, alongside Vera Caslavska.

Edited by Anisha Chatterjee