Becoming a legend in any sport takes years, right? But for Simone Biles, it took 21 years to really hit that status. We’ve seen her crush it and we’ve seen her face tough times. Remember Tokyo 2021? For the first time, Simone didn’t feel invincible due to the twisties. It was a shock when she pulled out of the vault finals, especially since she had already dominated Rio at the age of 19, when she was fearless, carefree, and just doing her thing without any pressure. But when Biles withdrew, the whole world was stunned. Everyone was like, ‘Wait, what?’

But here’s the thing: Simone didn’t let that stop her. In Paris, she came back stronger than ever, taking home three gold medals. But behind all the medals and glory, there’s this funny, down-to-earth side of her that only those closest to her get to see, which was much seen in 2016. Well, recently, that part of her was revealed by someone she called “Grandma.” But wait! Not a real grandma! It’s actually an Olympian who was her former teammate in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Simone Biles’ fearless moment with coach Marta Karolyi

Simone Biles’ former teammate and fellow 3X Olympic gold medalist, Aly Raisman, recently shared a fun story with Sports Illustrated about how fearless Simone was before the Rio Olympics. She remembered a moment when Simone cracked jokes with the notoriously tough coach, Marta Karolyi. Aly said, “Simone is the only gymnast in history to feel confident enough to make a joke to Márta Károlyi when we’re on our way to compete at the Olympics.” The moment happened in an elevator, right before the team qualifiers in 2016.

Coach Karolyi was checking everyone’s gear, asking, “Do you have everything? Do you have your grips?” And Simone deadpanned, “No, I forgot my grips to compete at the Olympics.” It was a hilarious moment, especially since Karolyi had a reputation for instilling fear in her athletes. But that wasn’t the first instance. Well, the Karolyis couple were known for running a strict program, with tight rules that often went beyond what many would call reasonable. They enforced an environment of isolation, pushed dietary restrictions, and didn’t always pay attention to injuries. For example, they reportedly ignored Kerri Strug’s injury during the 1996 Olympics, pushing her to compete despite her pain.

So, Simone’s rebellious streak, like sneaking off for cinnamon sugar pretzels or posting pictures of herself eating pizza, was definitely breaking the rules. But it also made her stand out from the rest, especially at a time when the Karolyis were pushing the athletes to their limits and not always in a healthy way. Even with all that pressure, Simone still came out on top. In the 2016 Rio Olympics, she won four gold medals. And let’s be real, none of that would’ve happened without a captain who’s still Biles’ favorite, even after taking part in 2 more Olympics.

Simone Biles surprises everyone with her favorite teammate pick

When Simone Biles was asked about her favorite teammate ever in a Sports Illustrated interview, everyone thought she’d name her best friend and training partner, Jordan Chiles. After all, the two have been inseparable, especially with Jordan calling Simone her “little sister” and saying, “I will give her all her flowers, her crown, whatever it needs to be.” And also they were teammates in the Paris Olympics! But surprisingly, Simone didn’t pick Jordan this time.

Instead, Biles named Aly Raisman. Simone revealed, “Aly Raisman. I looked up to her so much. She was such a good role model. She always kept my nerves down, and yeah, we were two peas in a pod, and we’re really close to this day.” It was apparently thoughtful for Simone to choose the name Aly Raisman, for Raisman was a captain and a senior member of the USA gymnastics team during the recent 2016 Olympics held in Rio where Simone made her first appearance. Simone was a rookie at 19 while Aly was the more experienced one as she was 22 years old. The two became good friends with Simone teasing Aly by calling her ‘grandma’ because Aly was much more mature than her.

However, Aly played a big part in Simone’s life; she was a good friend who had the ability to make her stay cool, especially in the Rio Olympics. Simone later admitted, “If I could relive any moment from the Olympics, I would say 2016 all-around with Aly Raisman, just because we were so stressed out, and I think we could have had a little bit more fun and lived in the moment.” But at the Paris Olympics, history repeated.

Simone Biles was officially the oldest on the U.S. gymnastics team in the 2024 Olympics, at 27, surrounded by teammates like Jordan Chiles (23), Jade Carey (24), Suni Lee (21), and Hezly Rivera (16). Before the Games, Simone had a funny realization about how much things had changed since 2016. Simone was the one getting a taste of that “grandma” energy. With a laugh, she admitted, “So now, I definitely have to apologize to Aly for calling her grandma because, whew, I feel like I’m way older now.”

For now, Simone Biles is still a total powerhouse in gymnastics, and her bonds with teammates like Jordan Chiles and Aly Raisman continue to be huge sources of strength for her. Whether it’s playfully teasing, offering support, or celebrating big moments together, Simone’s friendships have been a big part of her journey. The question on everyone’s mind now is whether she’ll be back for the LA 2028 Olympics — only time will tell!