Naturally, the parents want their children to carry forward the legacy they have created in their lifetime. Perhaps Michael Phelps would want his son Boomer to be an even greater swimmer than him or Usain Bolt might love watching his son breaking every track record there is. However, gymnastics GOAT Simone Biles wouldn’t want her daughter to be a gymnast.
Undoubtedly, Simone Biles is one of the most prolific gymnasts the world has ever seen. Though what’s also true is the fact that she has gone through a lot. Battling with mental health issues and criticism from the world on withdrawing from the Olympics certainly wouldn’t have been easy to cope with. However, she is a champion and will always be remembered as a champion, no matter what.
When asked whether she would want her daughter to join the US gymnastics team and carry forward her legacy, her answer was a straight “No.” Elaborating about the reason why, she added, “Because I don’t feel comfortable enough, because they haven’t taken accountability for their actions and what they’ve done. And they haven’t ensured us that it’s never going to happen again.”
However, seeing athletes losing trust in the sports system, the new president and CEO of USA Gymnastics said, “We recognize how deeply we have broken the trust of our athletes and community, and are working hard to build that trust back.”
People have this notion about Simone Biles, that she is different from normal human beings. Well, obviously she has that larger-than-sports image, but that doesn’t make her bulletproof to feelings or other life challenges. She is indeed an extraordinary gymnast. However, when it comes to day-to-day life obstacles, she is yet another 25-year-old who hasn’t figured it out yet. Gymnastics is just a part of her life. It doesn’t define her completely nor does it makes her invincible. Deep down under the skin of a champion athlete, she is just like the rest of us.
