These Gymnastics Legends Have Nothing But Love for Simone Biles and Suni Lee (VIDEO)
The duo's Paris 2024 podium triumphs have prompted former Olympic gymnasts to celebrate their journeys, from Rose Voisk's heartfelt video message to the girls, to Shannon Miller's praise for Biles' record-breaking achievements.
Two Team USA gymnasts, Simone Biles and Suni Lee, claimed podium positions at the Paris 2024 Olympics, igniting a wave of national celebration. Former gymnasts and fans took to social media to express their support and pride, highlighting the impact of their achievements on the sport.
The gold medal wins for Biles demonstrated that she is still a top competitor and ready to succeed after having a case of the infamous "twisties" at Tokyo 2020. Biles came back in the individual all-around event at the Paris 2024 Olympics. After trailing initially, Biles secured the gold with performances on the balance beam and floor exercise, finishing with a score of 59.131. She surpassed Brazil's Rebeca Andrade, who claimed silver, by 1.199 points.
"It is crazy I am in the conversation of greatest of all athletes," Biles said. "Because I just still think I’m Simone Biles from Spring, Texas, that loves to flip."
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Joining Biles on the podium, Lee secured bronze for Team USA, marking a remarkable return after overcoming two kidney diseases. Despite believing she might never return to gymnastics; Lee told the Los Angeles Times that making it back to the Olympics felt like an impossible dream come true.
“I wanted to just prove to myself that I could do it,” Lee said, “because I didn’t think that I could.”
Rose Voisk's Mesage to Simone and Suni
As these gymnasts continue to redefine what it means to be a winner, former gymnasts are rallying behind them, taking to social media to express their support and admiration. Rose Voisk, a 1948 Olympic gymnast, expressed her support for the current athletes in a video posted on X by NBC Sports.
“Hi Simone and Suni! I wish you the best of luck at the competition” Vojsk said in the video. “I admire you. You are surreal. Its just fantastic to watch you.”
Shannon Miller Celebrates Simone Beating Her Olympic Record
Among those applauding Biles is Shannon Miller, a former Team USA Olympic gymnast. At the Paris 2024 Games, Biles broke the tie with Miller for the most Olympic medals by an American gymnast. Biles secured her eighth medal on Tuesday, surpassing Miller’s record of seven, which had remained the record since Tokyo 2020. This achievement further solidifies Biles' legacy as one of the sport’s greatest athletes.
"I love what this team did and by Simone getting that eighth medal, she's just inspiring so many young people, but also, all of us to go after our goals and to just build big goals," Miller told CNN.
Highlighting the team's journey, Miller also acknowledged the challenges the gymnasts have faced over the years. "I love the girls, they have each gone individually through some really tough things in the last four, eight years, on this long road," she said. "So to capture the gold last night and put on a really awesome show of difficulty and skill, it was awesome.”
