Simone Biles Has the Perfect Response to Criticism Over Her Hair

As I delve into the captivating journey of Simone Biles, I am struck by her indomitable spirit and unyielding determination. Her achievements are not merely feats to be admired from afar; they are testaments to what one woman can do when she dares to dream big, work hard, and stay true to herself.

Simone Biles doesn’t understand why people are flipping out.

Instead of fretting over her hair amidst the scorching Paris summer, an eight-time Olympic medalist like Simone has more pressing matters to attend to – such as aiding the US women’s gymnastics team in securing another gold medal. However, on her path to the July 30 all-around team final, she paused briefly to quell some online gossip.

In my latest Instagram story, I shared a quick video of me using a small fan to stay comfortable. I felt the need to clarify that my hairdo, while not perfect, was done under less than ideal circumstances – no air conditioning on the bus and an oven-like heatwave! The journey lasted about 45 minutes.

“Adding a kiss emoticon to her message, she went on, ‘I’ll be holding your hand as I tell you this. Please refrain from commenting on a black girl’s hair the next time. Simply don’t.’ “

In the end, as Simone performed with her teammates Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee (with Hezly Rivera cheering from the stands), it was her skills, not her hair, that captured everyone’s attention – especially when they clinched yet another gold medal for the USA.

Furthermore, Simone’s Instagram post, which celebrated the team’s victory, showed once more that she is undeniably the reigning monarch of comebacks.

Below an image featuring herself and her teammates holding the American flag, Simone captioned, “Champions without exceptional skill or work ethic, yet Olympic victors.”

The title was a jab at MyKayla Skinner’s remarks made several weeks prior to the Olympics, where she criticized the work ethic and abilities of this year’s team compared to past ones, in a now-removed YouTube video.

If there had been any question about whether Simone’s caption was aimed at MyKayla, her teammates and friends quickly clarified this through their comments.

In her post, Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney penned, “Nothing can surpass this iconic moment. I dabbled and discovered the truth. It seems I ought to express remorse just to restore my given name’s honor.”

Meanwhile, teammates Suni and Jordan noted the underlying tea in the caption choice.

“If Simone Biles had just ended your performance, put your hand down,” Suni expressed along with a palm emoji, while Jordan exclaimed, “And that’s absolutely correct!”

After all, don’t come for the recognized GOAT of women’s gymnastics—or her teammates.

And for more on why Simone really is that girl, on the mat and off, keep reading.

Simone Biles initially left everyone amazed when she showcased her skills at the 2013 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships held in Belgium.

In the competition, she was the initial qualifier for the all-around, followed by a second place in the vault final, a sixth position in the uneven bars final, fifth in the balance beam final, and first in the floor final. This achievement made her the American gymnast to qualify for both the all-around and all four event finals since 1991. At only 16 years old, Simone Biles became the first Black woman, and seventh overall, to claim the world all-around championship title.

Believe or not, the young athlete has four (!) gymnastic moves named after her.

One of these moves is a double layout with half twist, which the sports star first showcased during her floor routine while training for the podium at the 2013 U.S. Classic. Eight years after London Phillips had performed it domestically in 2005, Biles managed to execute this skill flawlessly at the 2013 World Championships, garnering recognition for her achievement.

At the 2015 U.S. National Championships, Biles demonstrated once more that she was a formidable competitor by capturing her third consecutive all-around national title. This achievement made her only the second woman in history to accomplish this feat, following Kim Zmeska by 23 years.

At the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, Biles concluded her routine impressively, earning a high final score of 60.399.

Achieving that triumph, she became the inaugural three-time successive champion in the all-around category of the World Gymnastics Championships, raising her tally of golden medals to a record-breaking 10, making her the female athlete with the most gold medals in the history of these championships.

Biles is always ready to confront those who criticize her or comment on her body image, without fear.

In 2016, the gymnast shared on Twitter her confidence in her own body. Later in 2020, the athlete reiterated self-acceptance by speaking out against the pressure of beauty standards and harmful online culture, stating that no one should dictate what beauty is or isn’t. Indeed, she nailed it.

Simone Biles is exceptional, as she is the first female gymnast since Daniela Silivaș in 1988 to claim a medal on every event at either an Olympic Games or World Championships. She achieved this remarkable feat during the 2018 World Championships held in Doha.

As a devoted supporter, I’m proud to share that despite unexpectedly dealing with a kidney stone and being rushed to the hospital, Biles valiantly rallied Team USA to clinch the top spot in less than 24 hours. Remarkably, even while enduring this discomfort, she made it clear on Twitter that “the stone could wait,” demonstrating her unwavering dedication and indomitable spirit.

At the 2018 World Championships, another impressive victory was achieved: Biles introduced her namesake vault, a roundoff back handspring followed by half turn entry, front stretched somersault with two twists (truly living up to its amazement) during the selection camp.

Biles followed up her jaw-dropping 2018 move with an impressive balance beam skill.

In 2013, she initially mastered the backward dismount from the beam involving a double-twisting double-tucked salto, but it wasn’t until the 2019 World Championships that she showcased the “stunner.” This skill was awarded an H rating, the highest possible for any balance beam routine. Simone Biles felt let down by the skill being underappreciated, yet amidst the debate over its rating, she flawlessly executed it during qualifications. Thus, the Biles dismount was officially introduced.

Due to her exceptional displays at the 2019 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany, Simone Biles managed to surpass Vitaly Scherbo’s record of 23 World Championship medals by claiming her 24th and 25th medals (both gold).

Last April 2021, I made the decision to part ways with Nike and embark on a new journey with the inspiring brand, Athleta.

She told the Wall Street Journal that the decision was more than about her personal accomplishments; it was about her values and using her voice to advocate for females and children. Furthermore, she appreciated their support not only as an athlete but also as a person outside the gym, and their shared goal to bring about change, which was particularly encouraging.

In May 2021, she was the initial female athlete to execute the Yurchenko double pike on the vault at her first competition after more than a year. This innovative vault was initially rated a 6.6, making it the highest-scored vault in women’s gymnastics.

On June 6, 2021, Simone Biles etched her name in history for the second time when she claimed the first ever U.S. senior women’s all-around title for an astounding seventh time.

After winning, Simone expressed that the experience was deeply moving as she prepares for her second Olympic run. She added that it’s incredible and she’s grateful to everyone who has attended and shown their support, particularly in light of the challenging year we’ve experienced together.

As a lifestyle expert, let me share an intriguing moment from June 2021 that had everyone talking on social media: I found myself captivated by Simone Biles’ dazzling new leotard adorned with a striking goat image.

In an interview with Marie Claire, I shared my approach: “I aimed to retaliate against those who spread negativity.” They were bantering, saying things like, “I bet if she wore a goat on her leotard, blah, blah, blah.” It struck me as a clever idea to make the critics dislike it intensely, while my supporters would embrace it. So, that’s exactly what I did.

Biles was one of 17 people who received the nation’s highest civilian honor in 2022.

In 2023, ten years after claiming her initial world title at just 16, this athlete clinched her 27th world gold medal at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, surpassing the record for both world and Olympic medals (a combined total of 34).

2024-07-31 20:18

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