Simone Biles was named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year after her extraordinary performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This honor comes as a result of her record-breaking achievements, which included becoming the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history. During the Paris Games, Biles secured three gold medals and one silver, silencing critics who had previously questioned her decision to withdraw from several events at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to focus on her mental health.
The announcement of her accolade sparked reactions from fellow athletes, who celebrated her success on social media. Among them was Mikaela Shiffrin, who commented, “So deserved!!👏,” while retired track and field star Allyson Felix added, “👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾.” Lindsey Vonn, a champion skier returning to competition after a knee-replacement surgery, expressed her excitement with the comment, “Hell yeah 💪🏻💪🏻.” College basketball player and rapper Flau’jae Johnson reacted with fire emojis, “🔥🔥🔥.” Former gymnast Aly Raisman shared her enthusiasm, commenting, “STUNNING!!!!! 💕💕💕💕💕.” Additionally, six-time world wrestling champion Adeline Gray posted a heart-eye emoji to show her admiration.
Mikaela Shiffrin, who had met Simone Biles during the Paris Olympics, shared reflections on their interaction in an interview. Shiffrin, who attended the games to support Team USA, initially planned to simply greet Biles and congratulate her. However, their encounter turned into an extended conversation, where they discussed their shared experiences as athletes facing immense public expectations.
Shiffrin described Biles as warm and easy to talk to, noting her contagious laughter. She recalled discussing not only their Olympic journeys but also the mental challenges associated with competing at the highest level. This conversation was particularly meaningful as Biles had previously shown support for Shiffrin during her struggles after leaving the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics without a m
edal.