Simone Biles chose herself, Katie Ledecky, Michael Phelps, and Mikaela Shiffrin as her Mount Rushmore. Biles finished the 2024 season with accolades, including four medals at the Paris 2024 Games.
Simone Biles became the most decorated American gymnast in Paris, winning gold medals in vault, individual all-around and team events, and silver medals in floor exercise. She is also the second most decorated female Olympic gymnast, along with Bela Czaslavska. Biles also performed on stage at the second edition of the Gold Over America Tour, an event launched after the Tokyo Olympics.
After ringing in the new year of 2025, Simone Biles had a candid chat with Sports Illustrated ahead of the 2025 gymnastics season, naming the athletes she’d like to see on Mount Rushmore.
The 11-time Olympic medalist is named after Katie Ledecky, the most decorated female swimmer, swimming legend Michael Phelps, and Mikaela Shiffrin, the most decorated alpine skier.
“I’m going to put myself out there. I’m going to put Katie Ledecky, Michael Phelps, Mikaela Shiffrin, too.”
The seven-time Olympic gold medalist frequently shows her support for the athletes she picks on Mount Rushmore, sometimes receiving appreciation from them through social media posts. Notably, Shiffrin, who has connected with Biles and Mikaela Shiffrin as mental health advocates after, faced “twists and turns” in Tokyo 2021, and alpine skiers faced similar challenges at the 2022 Winter Olympics. I faced my fate.
Simone Biles hopes for a better future in gymnastics after winning Sports Illustrated’s Athlete of the Year award
In recognition of her accomplishments in the French capital, Simone Biles was named Sports Illustrated’s Athlete of the Year. In an interview with the publication, the 27-year-old expressed her excitement at receiving this great honor and her desire to take gymnastics to the world.
“I’m very excited to be Sportsperson of the Year. It’s a big role and a job to do, because we want to put gymnastics on the map with the Olympic year. It’s an honor. So it’s really great,” Biles said. .
The 30-time world medalist spent the holiday season with her husband Jonathan Owens, attending the Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions game and the Bears vs. Seattle Seahawks game on Thanksgiving Day, Dec. 27, 2024.
She also spent New Year’s Eve relaxing with her husband, as he had to report to work at a hotel for Owens’ game against the Green Bay Packers on January 5, 2025.
quick links
Other works by Sportskeeda
Edited by Neerabra Roy
