Olympic Day on June 23 became extra special for gymnastics legend Simone Biles as she took a trip down memory lane, sharing a series of heartfelt throwbacks on her Instagram Stories.
The 28-year-old, who holds an impressive 11 Olympic medals, reflected on her incredible journey through the Olympics, celebrating the highs and unforgettable moments of her career. Here’s a look at the touching memories she shared with her fans.
A Sweet Celebration of Her 2016 Olympics Team
Simone began her Olympic Day post with a special video featuring her and fellow Olympic champions Aly Raisman and Laurie Hernandez. In the video, the three celebrated the joyous moment they made it to the 2016 Olympic team. It was a moment of happiness and triumph, capturing the strong bond they shared on their journey.
She followed this with two photos from the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, where Simone, along with Raisman, Hernandez, Gabby Douglas, and Madison Kocian, formed the iconic “Final Five” team.
The photos featured the athletes celebrating their team gold medal win – one showing the group jumping for joy, while another captured them proudly standing on the podium with their gold medals.
Glimpses from the Tokyo 2020 Games
Simone’s throwbacks didn’t stop in 2016. She also included photos from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which were held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the photos showed Simone with her teammates, known as the “Fighting Four” – Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee, and Grace McCallum – as they posed with their silver medals.
Another snap featured Simone holding her bronze medal, awarded for her impressive balance beam performance at the Tokyo Games.
Simone also shared photos from her time working with the production crew, all wearing protective masks due to the pandemic. The behind-the-scenes moments gave a glimpse into the challenges the athletes faced during these unusual games.
Celebrating Her Paris 2024 Journey
Simone’s Instagram Stories also highlighted her journey to the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she and her teammates, including Chiles, Lee, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera, celebrated their qualification. This group, later called the “Golden Girls,” shared a heartwarming video of their excitement as they learned they had made it to Paris.
One of the standout moments was a video of Simone performing on the vault at the Paris Games, where she executed the challenging “Biles II” (Yurchenko double pike), a vault named after her.
Her flawless performance earned her another gold medal, solidifying her place as one of the most decorated gymnasts of all time. Simone’s vault performance made her the second woman in history to win two Olympic vault titles.
A Proud Champion and Family Celebration
Simone’s pride and joy shone through in her Instagram Stories, as she shared images of her friends and family celebrating her gold medal victories. There was even a heartwarming video of a group of people chanting “USA” at a Parisian restaurant, showing the global support and admiration for her incredible achievements.
Simone wrapped up her posts by showing off her medal collection from the 2024 Olympics: three gold medals for her all-around, vault, and team performances, along with a silver medal for her floor exercise.
In a moment of reflection, she wrote, “Okay I’m done, so blessed to go to 3 Olympic games with Team USA,” accompanied by a beautiful shot of the Eiffel Tower sparkling in the night sky. The video captured the essence of her Olympic journey – filled with hard work, dedication, and remarkable success.
A Look Toward the Future
As Simone celebrated her Olympic legacy, she also hinted at the future. While she has not confirmed whether she will participate in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, Simone remains open to the idea.
During a press conference in August, she said, “So never say never… The next Olympics is at home, so you just never know. But I am getting really old.”
Simone’s future in gymnastics is still uncertain, but her past Olympic successes continue to inspire millions.
