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TOKYO, JAPAN – AUGUST 03: Simone Biles of Team United States reacts during the Women’s Balance Beam Final on day eleven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on August 03, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
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TOKYO, JAPAN – AUGUST 03: Simone Biles of Team United States reacts during the Women’s Balance Beam Final on day eleven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on August 03, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Endearing moments among athletes always bring joy. Whether it’s cheering for one another or sending each other motivational messages, friendship among athletes is a sight to behold. In a similar incident from 2016, the gymnasts from Team USA, including Simone Biles, revealed their favorite female athletes.
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In a move to encourage interaction with fans, Team USA asked popular celebrities to tweet at the ‘Final Five’ – the gymnastics team from the US. Celebrities like Zac Efron, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, and Michelle Obama also participated in the challenge.
Simone Biles reveals her favorite athlete
One of the questions submitted was by popular actress Reese Witherspoon. The Hollywood star asked the girls to shout out their favorite female athletes from the past or present. One by one, the four stars – Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Laurie Hernandez, and Madison Kocian called out their favorites. Amongst popular athletes like Serena Williams and Lolo Jones, Simone chose Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky.
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RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 09: Katie Ledecky of the United States celebrates winning gold in the Women’s 200m Freestyle Final on Day 4 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 9, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Katie is a competitive swimmer who is a ten-time Olympic medalist and has 15 world championship gold medals. The duo has often bonded over sports, workouts, and more.
Later on, at the Tokyo Olympics, Biles decided to withdraw from the competition. Post this announcement, Katie was one of the many who supported her decision. The superstar swimmer praised the gymnast for taking care of her mental health and prioritizing herself over the rest. Both athletes have been star performers for Team USA at the Olympics. Therefore, this decision was understandable and welcomed by the officials.
Sportsmanship and true spirit in both the athletes
As established earlier, the world of sports can be a hard place to navigate through. It not only involves hard work and practice but also builds up a lot of pressure among athletes. This coupled with accidents, tension among the crowd, and the requirement to be ahead of others takes a toll on sportspersons.
Despite this, athletes coming together to support one another can be heartwarming and wholesome. We hope that the friendship between these two blossoms as well.
Watch this story: Olympic legends Simone Biles, Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky hangout with gold medals around their neck
Written by
Edited by
Deepika Bhaduri