Not even flying is nicer: Simone Biles does gymnastics like others dream. The 24-year-old American revolutionizes her sport. But Biles has long been a voice of strength and hope for girls and women – and fights against sexual abuse.
With steps that are as fast as they are powerful, Simone Biles races towards the springboard. The gaze is absolutely focused, the mouth closed. What happens then is difficult for the normal observer to grasp. With a wheel turn, the 24-year-old touches down on the springboard at full speed, flick-flops her – her entire body perfectly tense and stretched out – onto the platform in front of her and touches its surface, it seems, only lightly with her hands. Thanks to an enormous amount of speed, power and momentum and a perfect execution, Biles catapults himself meters into the air – and time stands still for a moment. Only flying is more beautiful? Oh nonsense: Biles flies!
The floor and apparatus gymnast, who is only 142 centimeters tall, glides through the air with two extended backward altos. With her arms tightly drawn, Biles rotates at a breathtaking speed as if she were a single muscular rubber ball, only to come to a perfect stop on the mat just seconds later – for the amazed observer it feels like an eternity. The “New Yorker” wrote that she had to put away the strength of two football professionals crashing into each other when landing. What is this woman doing? How perfectly can someone balance aesthetics, strength and speed?
Your double somersault jump with the highest level of difficulty is called “Yurchenko double pike” and is extremely dangerous. Biles, the only one who ever jumped in a competition, is doing it in training in Tokyo. Also to show the world: After a long break from competitions, I’m back in top form, I’m back! The 24-year-old is the figurehead of the US gymnastics team. And now one of the most famous athletes in the country – and one of the best in the world. Anything but several gold medals would be a surprise after four first places at the games in Rio 2016. It could even be six. Today her mission begins with the team qualification in the all-around competition (3.30 p.m. CEST / ARD).
Life in the gym
Since her breakthrough at the age of 16, the American has regularly dropped her jaws and has become the most successful gymnast in the country to date. In all disciplines, because the top athlete can do everything. What brings them to the mat and to the equipment is the result of the hardest and most focused work. It is said of Biles that she practically lives in the gym. On her own now, mind you. It has long had four jumping and gymnastics elements named after it.
Since Rio 2016 at the latest, the Olympian has revolutionized her sport with her power and her records. Because Biles pushes boundaries. She redefines what is possible in gymnastics and does things that even colleagues can often only dream of. She is the exceptional talent among a lot of exceptional talent. One like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, one that every sport rarely produces and that shapes an era. A “generational talent” as they say in the United States. Her victories and trophies can hardly be counted, she is christened “$ imoney” thanks to her large amount of prize money. She wins five gold medals at the 2019 World Championships. Her competitors are usually only about second place.
In addition to all of her successes, Biles also goes through difficult episodes. She has a story of how the Americans love them. The mother is addicted to drugs and alcohol and is unable to bring up Simone and her sister. The gymnast grew up in nursing homes – until her grandfather adopted her at the age of six. She was discovered by a trainer in a sports hall when Biles was only six years old and was imitating gymnasts. Then she will be promoted and grow into the world class gymnast she is today.
“It’s just sick”
But Biles’ sporting beginnings are also dramatic and marked by bad strokes of fate. In January 2018, she made public that she was sexually abused as a teenager by team doctor Larry Nassar. More than 350 other athletes also testify that Nassar will be sentenced to 175 years in prison. But Biles also attacks her gymnastics association “USA Gymnastics” for an accomplice role – and does not give up. She wants backers to be held accountable too. The gymnastics federation’s biggest star will also be its biggest critic.
Your performance becomes resistance to the association: “Oh, it’s far from over,” Biles told CBS in February. “Who knew what when?” She asks, looking for answers to many unanswered questions. Her gymnastics association did too little to clear up the hundreds of cases of abuse, she accuses. She feels like she has been let down: “We’re bringing you medals. We’re doing our part. You can’t do your damned part for it? You literally had a job and couldn’t protect us. It’s just sick.” Part of her also competes in Tokyo so she can stay in the spotlight and ensure that the entire abuse scandal doesn’t get swept under the rug.
For Biles’ birthday, USA Gymnastics wishes her all the best on Twitter. “We know that you will only continue to astonish us and make history,” writes the association. The gymnast promptly replies, “How about you surprise me and do the right thing and have an independent investigation done.” Biles, who speaks openly about her psychotherapy, has now become a professional at separating her love of gymnastics from abuse and anger at those who didn’t stop him.
Personalized “female empowerment”
Because she addresses grievances openly, loudly and consistently, Biles becomes a role model for many. Especially for young blacks, especially women. Because apart from the gym, Biles is a revolution. The personified “female empowerment”, that is, female empowerment. She puts her sponsor Nike in front of the door in April and joins Athleta, part of the largest US clothing retailer Gap, because this women-oriented supplier is more in line with her vision and values. “They help me to use my voice and also to be a voice for women and children,” says Biles. She would now also be supported as an individual outside the gym who wanted to change something in the world.
Biles fights unmistakably for equality and against discrimination and racism against people of color. In a society that still refuses to recognize the full worth of black women, she is strong, confident and not afraid to stand up for herself. The success and attitude of the Olympic champion increase interest in gymnastics in black communities proven in the USA.
Biles wants to establish courage and self-confidence in girls and young women in a society and sports world that is still male-dominated. “It is important to teach our female youth that it is okay to say ‘Yes, I am good at that’ and you are not holding back,” she says in 2019. No girl, no woman, – according to her motto – should have to make themselves smaller and have to lower their own voices. But the exceptional athlete also speaks openly about bad days and phases of self-doubt.
The number of their gold medals will be forgotten at some point. There are simply too many. But the message and attitude of Simone Biles will work forever. As impressive as her consistent dominance is, what the gymnast means to black culture, to women, and especially to black women, is bigger than her rush into the record books.
In the American tradition of civil rights activists (Muhammad Ali, Bill Russell, Kareem, Billie Jean King or Serena Williams are to be mentioned here), Biles burns herself into the collective consciousness through far more than what she has achieved as a gymnast. She has become a voice for those in sports and in US society who don’t have one. A role model that encourages girls and young women to stand by themselves, to move forward loudly and to be proud women and / or women of color.
Her legacy is already alive and growing. Even before she set foot on a gym mat in Tokyo and will probably become the biggest star of the Olympic Games, Simone Biles won with it. From now on there is only flying.
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