Simone Biles’ Latest News Has Skiing Legend in Awe Alongside Fans

“Was so inspiring to watch you rise once again, Simone. Never had a doubt,” said Mikaela Shiffrin, Alpine Skiing legend, after watching Simone Biles win three gold medals at the Paris Olympics. The support between these two champions goes way back, when Shiffrin faced a tough time crashing out of her Alpine skiing races at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Biles was one of her loudest supporters. Now, as the 27-year-old adds another prestigious accolade to her legendary career, Shiffrin is right there, backing her up once again.

After an outstanding 2024 that saw Simone Biles become the most-decorated U.S. gymnast in Olympic history, she’s added another prestigious honor to her legendary career being named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year. This recognition comes after her performances in Paris, where she claimed multiple gold medals, as one of the greatest athletes of all time.

After Sports Illustrated dropped the news on X, Mikaela Shiffrin wasted no time retweeting it, saying, “So deserved! Love to see it, @Simone_Biles!” Honestly, it’s pretty amazing to see these two powerhouses backing each other up. Biles made history as the first Olympian to be named SI’s Sportsperson of the Year since LeBron James back in 2012.

But even with all her accomplishments, Biles admitted that it hasn’t fully hit her yet. She said, “Don’t think the reality has set in of what I’ve exactly done in the sport. I can see it, and I hear it from people, and I see a glimpse of it, but the full magnitude I don’t think I’ve realized just yet.” Biles will be officially honored on January 7 in Las Vegas at the Sportsperson of the Year ceremony, along with Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, who’s named Breakout Star of the Year.

There’s also going to be a special tribute to NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo for his work off the court. Once fans learned about this, they couldn’t contain their excitement.

Support floods in for Simone Biles

One fan added, “What an amazing athlete, Simone Biles is, and she gracefully dawns the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine.” Another added, “Biles owned the Olympics. She crushed it on the global stage. 3 golds and one silver in 2024. 11 overall. Consider this a prize for this year and a lifetime achievement award.” One more added, “Congrats and well deserved!” And it’s all very true!

SI didn’t just highlight Biles’ gold medal wins but also her comeback after the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she struggled with the twisties and couldn’t compete at her best. While last year’s choice of Deion Sanders for Sportsperson of the Year was met with some controversy, Biles’ selection was an easy choice this time around.

One more fan added, “There were a lot of great contenders to choose from, but you can never go wrong with Simone.” Out of nowhere, another fan chimed in, “You deserved it more,” which seemed like a nod to Mikaela Shiffrin, hinting that she might have deserved the recognition. While Shiffrin secured her record-extending 99th career World Cup win, she’s undoubtedly a huge supporter of the gymnast too.

At Beijing’s 2022 Olympics, Shiffrin was the favorite to triumph and collect multiple medals at that. But once it did not work, after crashes and early exits she was in the eye of the storm we call emotions. The expectation was high, but all that was expected was a big letdown and condemnation by the fans. But during those difficult times, the one energizing her was Simone Biles, regardless of her own struggles.

Biles pulled out of several events in Tokyo 2020, and it stirred a hornet’s nest as the people who expected to be wowed by Simone Biles were not pleased. That is why, after watching Shiffrin experience her own sorrow in Beijing, she was first to call her and comfort her. And when Biles took gold in Paris, in the midst of all the celebration, there was Mikaela Shiffrin watching her. In fact, Shiffrin was in Paris, supporting Team USA, and, for the first time, she got the opportunity to meet the star in person.

One fan added, “Mesmerizing performances; a once-in-a-lifetime athlete! Congrats to the GOAT, the Queen, the unbelievable Simone.” But another fan shared a different perspective: “I love Simone, but this year belonged to Caitlin. Breaking records in college and pro in the same year despite facing major adversity, plus lifting a league and women’s sports to new heights.”

Although Caitlin Clark did have a sensational year playing both within the Collegiate system and the WNBA, Simone Biles was clearly the most dominant of all her counterparts when competing against the best gymnasts in the world. According to a recent SI magazine, Caitlin Clark could have likely been considered for Sportsperson of the Year after receiving the Time’s Athlete of the Year title. However, Biles’ historical accomplishments keep her unique.

Simone Biles is now an eleven-time Olympic medalist and a thirty World Championship medalist. On the other hand, Caitlin Clark had one of the historic years that made her dominate women’s basketball, thus winning various accolades: AP Female Athlete of the Year and WNBA Rookie of the Year. Clark’s sensational performance increased the WNBA attendance and her fans. But Caitlin Clark has the Olympics still to play to ensure she embeds herself amongst the world’s best.