For the majority of gymnastics fans, Simone Biles has always been the GOAT of the sport. With her return to the arena after two years, her fans witnessed a moment of joy and relief. Her triumphant performance at the World Championship in Antwerp last year saw her secure four gold medals. This victory made her fans believe in the champion she is more than ever.
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, the 4-time Olympic gold medalist opened up about how gymnastics became a part of her. And how she never dreamed of being this famous and loved by her fans. Biles also disclosed how her parents used to have to protect her from most fans due to her fame. She mentioned that she had to deal with the anxiety that came along with her popularity.
In the interview, Simone Biles says that her thought process and everything else changed after she watched Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross, and Jordyn Wieber dominate at the 2012 Olympics in London.
“I just wanted to try to do college gymnastics.”
Biles, from then on, was adamant about joining the same camp as them to be a better gymnast. She secured her first all-around World Championship title in 2013, and three years later, she became a world sensation.
“I think everyone wants to be famous, and then when it happens, you almost hit a wall and you have an identity crisis. You’re like, am I made out for this? Why did I wish for this?”
Her performance at the Summer Olympics in Rio, saw her win four gold medals, which stands as an American record for women’s gymnastics at a single game, along with a bronze medal. However, Biles disclosed during the interview that the rise to fame that accompanied her feat was exciting, intense, and a bit unsettling for her.
While Biles faced an uphill challenge to get used to a new face, her parents found it even more difficult. They always looked out for their daughter, wanting to protect her from reporters, invasive fans, and photographers; however, at one point, it was completely out of their hands. While, on a lighter note, Biles compared herself to Taylor Swift and said:
“I’m not saying that [people] scream and line up like I’m Taylor Swift, [but] I still get a lot of attention. When five people come up to me and they’re rushing for a photo, I just get a little flustered.”
Simone Biles always had to deal with her anxiety. However, what occurred to the gymnastic champion at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics was unfortunate. Through it all, after her recent comeback and putting up an impressive show, Biles admitted that she was not as comfortable as she thought she would be during her international comeback.
Simone Biles mentions that her comeback on the international stage was a little unexpected
The decorated American gymnast is all golden with her comeback on the international stage after her 2-year post-Olympic break. She told Vanity Fair about returning to the Paris Olympics. All while being in the feels after performing at the world championship. However, recalling the days of performance, Biles admitted that while she felt she was in her element, she felt the pressure and all her skills and practice were put to the test immensely.
“I was truly petrified. I had the training to back it up because we worked really hard, [but] I wasn’t as confident or as comfortable as I wanted to be.”
While she reminisced about these moments, she shared how apprehensive the environment had been. Yet the star worked through the twisties. She took control of her skills and bagged four golds at the championships last year.
