The Mountaintop of Gymnastics: Simone Biles—Greatest of All Time

When it comes to gymnastics, no name resonates more powerfully in the modern era than Simone Biles. Her combination of explosive athleticism, technical precision, and mental resilience has made her not only the most decorated  best gymnast in the world  in history but also a trailblazer in sports culture at large.

Unmatched Achievements

Simone Biles has redefined excellence in gymnastics:

• Over 30 World Championship medals and 11 Olympic medals, more than any gymnast—male or female—in history.

• At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she further extended her medal haul, winning multiple golds and silvers while competing against a new generation of elite athletes.

• She has four signature skills named after her, reflecting the unprecedented difficulty of her routines.

Raising the Bar in Gymnastics

Biles's skills push the boundaries of what’s physically possible:

• The Yurchenko double pike vault, known as the "Biles II," is one of the most difficult ever performed by a woman.

• On floor exercise and beam, her combinations and execution are so far ahead of the field that they are in a class of their own.

Her routines have forced the sport's scoring systems to evolve—judges have had to reconsider how to fairly evaluate such advanced performances.

More Than Medals: Mental Health and Advocacy

Simone Biles has become a symbol not just of sporting greatness, but of courage and humanity:

• At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, she withdrew from multiple events to protect her mental health, publicly revealing her struggle with "the twisties"—a dangerous condition where gymnasts lose spatial awareness mid-air.

• Her decision sparked a global conversation on athlete well-being, shifting the culture around mental health in competitive sports.

• As a survivor of abuse by a former team doctor, Biles has bravely testified before Congress and called for accountability, becoming a powerful advocate for change within USA Gymnastics and beyond.

A Legacy of Resilience and Greatness

Simone Biles’s return to competition after her Tokyo hiatus is a testament to her unmatched resilience. Her performances in 2023 and 2024 show not only that she remains at the top of her game, but that she continues to inspire millions.

Standing Among Legends

While Biles is widely regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time, she follows in the footsteps of other transformative figures:

• Nadia Comăneci was the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 at the Olympics.

• Larisa Latynina held the record for most Olympic medals by a gymnast for decades.

• Svetlana Khorkina and Daniela Silivaș brought elegance and complexity that shaped the sport in the 1980s and ’90s.

Each of these athletes helped push gymnastics to new heights, but Simone Biles has taken it even further.

Conclusion

Simone Biles is not just the best gymnast in the world today—she is arguably the greatest the sport has ever seen. Her impact goes beyond competition floors: she’s elevated athletic standards, spoken truth to power, and reminded the world that strength comes in many forms. Her legacy will endure for generations, both on the mat and far beyond it.