Flying the flag
They’re called ‘‘Simone Things,’’ a catchall phrase for the casual ease with which Simone Biles seems to soar through her sport and her life. The irony, of course, is that there’s nothing casual or easy about it. Any of it. The greatest gymnast of all time and 2019 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year only makes it seem that way.
Those jaw-dropping routines that are rewriting her sport’s code of points and redefining what can be done on the competition floor? Borne from a mix of natural talent, hard work and a splash of ego.
The 25 world championship medals, the most by any gymnast ever? The result of a promise the 22-year-old made to herself when she returned to competition in 2017 after taking time off following her golden run at the 2016 Olympics.
The stoicism and grace she has shown in becoming an advocate for survivors – herself included – and an agent for change in the wake of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal that’s shaken USA Gymnastics to its core? The byproduct of a conscious decision to embrace the immense clout she carries.
‘‘I realise now with the platform I have it will be powerful if I speak up and speak for what I believe in,’’ Biles said. ‘‘It’s an honour to speak for those that are less fortunate. So if I can be a voice for them in a positive manner, then of course I’m going to do whatever I can.’’
It’s that mission – combined with her otherworldly skill and boundless charisma – that’s enabled Biles to keep gymnastics in the spotlight, a rarity for a sport that typically retreats into the background once the Olympic flame goes out.
Biles edged US football star Megan Rapinoe in a vote by AP member sports editors and AP beat writers. Skiing star Mikaela Schiffrin placed third, with WNBA MVP Elena Della Donne fourth.
Biles captured the award in 2016 following a showstopping performance at the Rio Olympics, where she won five medals in all, four of them gold. She spent most of the following 12 months taking a break before returning to the gym in the fall of 2017, saying she owed it to herself to mine the depth of her talent.
Check social media following one of her routines and you’ll find people – from Lebron James to Michelle Obama to Chrissy Teigen – struggling to distil what they’ve witnessed into 280 characters or fewer, with whatever they settle on typically followed by multiple exclamation points and a goat emoji, a nod to Biles being considered the Greatest Of All Time.
Her triple-twisting double-flip (the ‘‘triple double’’) at the end of her first tumbling pass on floor exercise is a wondrous blur. Her double-twisting double-flip beam dismount (the ‘‘double double’’) is so tough the International Gymnastics Federation decided to downplay its value in an effort to deter other gymnasts from even trying it.
This is both the blessing and the curse of making the nearly impossible look tantalisingly attainable. When Biles learned about the FIG’S decision, she vented on Twitter, her palpable frustration highlighting the realness she’s maintained even as her first name has become synonymous with her sport’s royalty.
It can lead to a bit of a balancing act. In some ways, she’s still the the kid from Texas who just wants to hang out with her boyfriend and her dog and go to the grocery story without being bothered. In other ways, she’s trying to be respectful of the world she’s built.
Take the GOAT thing. It’s a title she embraces but also takes with a grain of salt, determined to stay grounded as the hype around her grows.