“I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. I’m the first Simone Biles,” Simone Biles told Sporting News in 2016 after winning a record four gold medals at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Despite it being her debut in ‘The Greatest Show on Earth,’, Biles instantly became a household name. Since then, she has experienced ups and downs, becoming the ninth-most decorated female Olympian gymnast and winning the Xfinity US National Championships a record nine times. To honor her incredible talent, ESPN included Biles among the top 10 athletes of this century, placing her alongside the best of the best. However, it seems like this recognition has not been universally praised.

Recently, Simone Biles’ 7th-place ranking on ESPN’s list of ‘Top 100 Athletes of the Past 25 Years’ was questioned by a fellow gymnast. The critique focused on whether her exceptional talents deserved a higher spot. This has sparked debate about the fairness of the ranking criteria and highlighted Biles’ impressive career. Ian Gunther’s comments have intensified this debate, focusing on Biles’ achievements and the standards of athletic excellence.

Ian Gunther questions Simone Biles’ ESPN ranking

In his Instagram story shared today, gymnast Ian Gunther expressed his disappointment with ESPN’s list of the greatest athletes of the 21st century, shared by Inside Gymnastics, captioned, “Simone Biles Ranked 7th Best Athlete of 21st Century by ESPN.” Gunther had a clear message for them: “7th is criminal.” The magazine that shared the post spotlighted by Gunther further highlighted the fact that she should have been placed first, or at least in the top 3, given her athletic talents, accomplishments, and the records she has rewritten. However, while comparing such accomplished individuals, it is crucial to consider the broader context of such rankings and how they compare to the longevity and achievements of the awardees.

It is to be noted that athletes who have been ranked above her, like Michael Phelps, have had longer careers and more achievements. Phelps has already retired, while Biles continues to add accolades to her name. Considering the existence of thousands of up-and-coming athletes worldwide, being ranked 7th is still impressive. But what’s more remarkable is the sheer magnitude of feats that this 27-year-old gymnast has already accomplished.

Simone Biles has five elements in the women’s artistic gymnastics Code of Points assigned in her honor. These include two on the vault, one on the balance beam, and two on the floor exercise. She is the first gymnast to perform the Yurchenko double pike, the toughest vault, with a D-Score of 6.4. Not only that, she also won the US Olympic 2024 trials by claiming 5.5 points over Suni Lee, the Tokyo all-around gold medalist. Achieving such success in her late twenties against younger competitors is even next to unimaginable, further fueling the debate on how rankings influence public perception and emphasizing the need for a comprehensive evaluation.

How do ESPN’s rankings influence public perceptions of Simone Biles?

ESPN’s rankings of the greatest athletes can significantly shape public perception, especially for prominent figures like Simone Biles. Many fans are finding it incredulous that Biles is ranked below athletes like Tom Brady at 5th. They reflect disbelief and frustration, with some insisting that Biles should be ranked number 1, given her unparalleled achievements in gymnastics. The community highlighted the gymnast’s extraordinary skills and her ability to perform complex, dangerous routines. They argue that she is unbeatable in her routines on bars, unlike other athletes who were not consistently invincible, and their insights provide in-depth specificities behind their disagreement with the ranking.

While some fans cry, “That’s an insult,” and “Try nailing a full twist or a series of three skills on a balance team! She is the Queen!”, many argue that gymnastics is one of the toughest sports in the history of sports, considering the mental and physical duress involved. Some believe athletes like Michael Phelps, who claimed the top spot, would struggle with gymnastics, stating that “Phelps wouldn’t last 2 seconds on the pommel, rings, bars or beam…”  Most fans pointed out that tennis is less demanding and suggested Serena Williams in 2nd place should’ve ranked lower than Biles. One comment in particular highlighted, “Gymnastics vs swimming, tennis, basketball—Simone is #1, and she will hold that spot for a long time.” Since clinching her first national title in 2013, Simone Biles has remained undefeated in all-around competition.

For someone who won the U.S. Trials after a two-year break because of ‘the twisties,’ it is a crystal-clear display of fortitude how Biles aims to be the first gymnast to win all-around gold in nonconsecutive Olympics in Paris this year. Whether ESPN listens to the fans’ urges to reassess their ranking criteria, echoing Ian Gunther’s sentiment, remains to be seen, but for now, Simone Biles’ unwavering determination and unparalleled achievements continue to solidify her reign as the undisputed queen of gymnastics in the hearts of her fans.