The little-known legacy Simone Biles wants to be remembered for

Simone Biles may be a world champion gymnast and the greatest of all time (GOAT), but she hopes to be remembered for helping vulnerable young people find a place to call home.

The three-time Olympian is the most decorated gymnast in US history, with 30 World Championship medals, and 11 Olympic medals, 7 of which are gold.

Yet it’s her work as an ambassador for US foster care charity Friends of the Children that she wants to be remembered for.

Speaking at the Ready25 Conference in Sydney on Thursday, Ms Biles said she hoped she was known for her work outside of gymnastics.

“I hope I’m known for the work in foster care with foster kids, because that is very near and dear to my heart,” she said.

“When I started working with them, I think they had four to six chapters in the US and now we have over 30 chapters… helping communities and the foster care community.

“I think that’s really special, so hopefully that’s the legacy that I leave.”

Foster care has been an issue close to her heart because she was placed into foster care at a very young age with her three siblings.

Ms Biles said they spent a few years in foster care before they were adopted by her grandparents and her grandparents’ siblings.

“Everyone’s upbringing is different but what matters is how it fuels you to go towards your goals,” she said.

Ms Biles said she wasn’t always the elite athlete she is today and had to work hard to rise through the ranks.

“In the beginning, I wasn’t what you see on the screen,” she said.

“I was a little behind in gymnastics, I progressed quickly but the form and discipline wasn’t all the way there.”

The discipline came after she attended an elite training camp run by coach and former national team coordinator for USA Gymnastics Márta Károlyi.

As a young teenager, she realised she would have to increase her training and work closer with her teammates if she wanted to compete at the elite level.

At 19 years old, Ms Biles competed in her first Olympic Games in Rio and captivated the world after winning four gold medals.

“Going into it at 19, being naïve was the best because I didn’t know what to expect and I didn’t understand how big it was around the world,” she said.

After the 2016 Rio Olympics Games, Ms Biles felt the pressure to do even better after achieving greatness.

Then the Tokyo Olympic Games were delayed to 2021 due to the pandemic, and it was a blow to Ms Biles.

She said she feared her body wouldn’t hold up for an extra year because of the pressure professional gymnastics placed on the body, even at just 23.

When she did make it to the Tokyo Olympics, she made the heart wrenching decision to withdraw from several events to prioritise her mental health.

It was a decision that sparked a global conversation and changed the narrative about mental health in sports.

“Pulling out of the Tokyo Olympic Games was the most courageous I’ve been,” she said.

“I finally got the help I deserved, so I could come back and go to Paris and be successful again.”

Ms Biles went on to win three gold and one silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Looking ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, Ms Biles said she was still weighing up her options.

“I haven’t decided yet, I’m still taking time off mentally and physically before I decide anything,” she said.

She said 28 was old for elite gymnasts, but “I believe I’m aging like a fine wine”.

“Never say never because you truly don’t know, but I’m taking time off to reset mentally and physically and emotionally because training for an Olympic Games … it’s not just the year before, it’s the four years prior,” she said.

“We have to take everything into consideration before I make a final decision because it is a lot of dedication and sacrifices and teamwork because it’s not just me involved.

“If I’m not on the floor, I definitely will be in and around it, and you guys will see me in LA, but to what capacity I’m not sure. But I’d love to be involved as much as possible.”

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