Simone Biles is not a good gymnast. She's a great gymnast. In fact, she's the greatest of all time-and she has the medals to prove it. The 24-year-old has won every single all-around competition she's been in since 2013 and has a record 25 world medals. She's also the first American woman to win five all-around national titles. Included in these astounding awards are her five Olympic medals (four gold, one bronze). Oh, and it's worth noting that some of these were won while Simone was injured-she's competed with broken toes, a kidney stone, and more. That's how tough and dedicated she is.
In early 2020, sports commentators were sure that the gymnast would be adding to those numbers at the upcoming Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Then COVID-19 struck, and the world came to a halt. Like many other things, the Olympics were postponed-which Simone says was heartbreaking. "It was a whirlwind of emotions-I couldn't believe the news," she says. "I was sad. I was angry. I was annoyed. But I also knew it needed to happen to keep everyone safe and get the virus under control."
From training for Tokyo again to taking care of her mental health, Simone shares what it's like to be an athlete at the top of her game.
When asked what advice she'd give to her younger self, she says: "To not be so stubborn and to be a little bit happier-to know that it's not over just because something happens in one day. You can keep pushing."
Has she taken her own advice? She sure has-well, part of it, at least. "I'm definitely happy," she says. "I guess I can still be pretty stubborn."
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2021 issue of Health Magazine. Click here to subscribe today!
Source: Read Full Article