“That’s Her Legacy”- Retired Gymnast Once Heaped Praise on Simone Biles’ Everlasting Influence on Gymnastics

Gymnast Simone Biles withdrew her name at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, shocking everyone. She has put the curtain down on her Olympic for a while and has taken a break. Over the past years, Simone has built a place for herself in the Olympics, especially in her sport.

In the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, she won gold medals in vault, all-around, floor, and bronze on the balance beam. Simone altered the definition of gymnastics with her every winning. The big question was if she would continue this in the future.

Simone Biles’ future in gymnastics

Simone Biles faced dark periods during her career in gymnastics. From social media trollers to sexual assaults of Larry Nassar. Bob Neat, the director of communication at the National Gymnastics Association, has also appreciated Simone for her contribution to gymnastics. According to him, Simone’s legacy is much greater than her Olympic medal count.

Meanwhile, Ashley Umberger, a national team gymnastics member, has said, “I don’t think it’s possible to forget Simone Biles.”

Simone’s case is not the first time an athlete withdrew her name and faded. In 1996, Dominique Dawes and Shannon Miller in the Magnificent Seven team won gold. After earning so much respect, Dawes and Miller’s vanished from sports headlines.

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Bob Neat spoke about the legacy of Simone in gymnastics. He quoted her legacy as, “Her role isn’t going to be just coaching in the gym, but leading a cultural shift of protecting the wellness of athletes and coaches. Her biggest role coming out of the Olympic Games is helping to shift the culture. That’s her legacy. She is the person to do it. She is the individual that understands it better than anybody.”

Simone leaving the door open for 2024

In 2021, during a Facebook watch series, Simone’s coach, Canqueteau-Landi, spoke about Simone’s plan for 2024. Canqueteau confessed that Simone talks about her Paris Olympics practice.

According to Canqueteau-Landi, Simone texted her once and confronted her that she is thinking about 2024 already. And her coach responded with laughing emoticons.

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Previously, Biles has also hinted that she has left the door open for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Even after her hints, it’s unclear how mentally and physically she is prepared for this. Simone has faced a lot of consequences from her withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics.