Undeniably, Simone Biles is one of the greatest gymnasts of all time. In fact, she is the first American woman to win five all-around national titles.
In early 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Olympics were postponed, which was heartbreaking, according to the 24-year-old gymnast.
She said, “It was a whirlwind of emotions. I couldn’t believe the news. I was sad. I was angry. I was annoyed. But I also knew it needed to happen to keep everyone safe and get the virus under control.”
Recently, she said she has been training hard for Tokyo Olympics and taking care of her mental health so she can be at the top of her game.
She said, “I knew my coaches would make sure I was ready – no matter how long the postponement was. Of course, another year of training on your body really takes a toll. But I just knew I’d be ready.”
“Representation matters, and we want to inspire the next generation to pursue their passion,” she added. “Kids can come in and we will be training in the back, and they can see we are just like them. It helps them understand they can do it too.”
Biles has also been working with skin-care brand SK-II since last year, taking an active part in campaigns that discuss the negative effects of toxic competition associated with beauty products.
More importantly, Biles gives self-care a priority. She said, “I do regular athletic massages and ice massages. I also use compression boots and take Epsom-salt baths. And I see my athletic doctor every Friday for a check-in.”
She has been taking care of her mental health whenever she has felt she needed to. She said, “For a while, I saw a psychologist once every two weeks. That helped me get in tune with myself so that I felt more comfortable and less anxious.”
Biles, who has been dating Jonathan Owens, a defensive back for the Houston Texans, for about a year. “Since we are both professional athletes, we tend to eat very healthily,” she said. “But I do love to snack. My weakness is cookies or sour candy.”
The world’s third most decorated gymnast takes time off to recharge every Sunday. She said, “I really like to relax so I’ll hang by the pool with my boyfriend, or have my family come over.” This article originally appeared in the Health Magazine.
