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The American gymnast Simone Biles expressed her happiness at winning the «most prestigious» award in the world of sports like Laureus, a result of her outstanding performance at the Paris Olympics, which she achieved after a tough and challenging «mental work» following the events in Tokyo three years earlier. She also mentioned that she is unsure if she will be in Los Angeles (United States) in 2028.
«I think the most important thing for me was to ensure that my mental health was as healthy as possible, and then going to Paris was a breeze because I had been training for a long time. It’s very exciting to be here in Madrid and win an award that is the most prestigious and sports-related one you can win, putting gymnastics on the map in a non-Olympic year,» Biles said after receiving the Laureus for ‘Best Athlete’ of 2024.
The multiple Olympic champion was the center of attention in the French capital after her sudden withdrawal at the Tokyo 2020 Games due to her mental health. «I think the mental work has been the hardest because showing vulnerability is difficult. Going to therapy week after week, and still being in therapy, has been the toughest. I have to know that my mental health journey may be linear or not, may have ups and downs, and I could be in therapy for the rest of my life. I am grateful to have access to this mental health journey and I have learned that I deserve this help,» she confessed.
At present, the Columbus native is uncertain about being in Los Angeles 2028. «Right now, I am still focusing on the physical and mental healing because I have sacrificed so much, and now I am really enjoying my rest time before deciding if I want to return to the gym and compete,» she emphasized.
«Many people think it’s just a one-year commitment, but it’s actually the four years leading up to the Games. They are in Los Angeles, in the United States, which is so exciting, but if I am going to compete again, I’m not so sure, but I will be there, whether on the mat or in the stands. It’s a big decision,» she added.
Asked about one of her rivals, the Brazilian Rebeca Andrade, who was awarded the Laureus for ‘Best Comeback,’ she described her as an «incredible and extraordinary athlete.» «What she has overcome is truly inspiring. I can’t believe she has had three ACL tears and is as amazing as she is. I always enjoy competing against her because she pushes me to be better. Due to her injuries, she missed many World Championships, but I know that if she were there, she would have the same number of medals as she has had in previous years. Brazil is very, very lucky to have her, and gymnastics even more so,» she praised.
For the American, «it has been quite easy to maintain that passion» for gymnastics, a sport that is also «always evolving and changing.» «I have always been so passionate because it is such a beautiful sport, where we can tell a story with our body movements,» she emphasized.
As a recommendation to future generations, she urged them to «dream big, and then dream even bigger.» «I never thought I would achieve what I have done in the sport. Women’s sports are in good hands, and we have seen that it has evolved in recent years and that women’s sports are very popular, incredible, and can achieve whatever they want. I would tell them not to let anyone tell them they can’t do anything because you can, and never give up and always believe in yourself,» she emphasized.
However, the acclaimed gymnast knows that «staying at the top is not easy.» «You will have to work harder to stay than to get there. So, I would tell them to believe in themselves and to surround themselves with those around them who care and support them,» the American expressed.
Finally, she stated that she «never» thought she would become an inspiration. «When I started the sport, I just wanted a scholarship so that my parents wouldn’t have to pay for school. And once I started getting selected, I thought maybe I could go further. Never in a million years did I think I would be one of the best in the sport or at the top for so long,» she concluded.
