Sidelining Her Trauma, Simone Biles’ ‘Never Quit’ Payback to Gymnastics World at Gold Over America

Simone Biles is set to make 2024 a golden year, not just at the Olympics but also for her country. After headlining the Gold Over America Tour following Team USA’s silver medal win at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Biles is gearing up for an even more spectacular 2.0 version of the tour. During the first edition of the tour in 2021, Biles faced immense personal challenges.

Despite withdrawing from the team finals at the Tokyo Olympics due to the infamous Twisties and enduring a tumultuous time, Biles captivated fans across the country with 35 shows in various cities. As we look forward to the 2024 Gold Over America Tour and Team USA gymnasts’s anticipated success at the Paris Olympics, let’s reflect on how Simone Biles showed her ‘Never Quit’ attitude during the inaugural 2021 edition, sidelining her trauma.

How Simone Biles put on a show despite her traumas

On the ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast with Alex Cooper, Simone Biles shared her experience of dealing with a mental health crisis soon after returning home from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Not having time to take a break and address the trauma caused by the Twisties, she had to navigate through it during the first edition of the Gold Over America Tour across the country. Simone said, “The fans, the kids, beautiful. We put together an amazing production.” However, she revealed the behind-the-scenes struggle she faced before every show. After spending at least one and a half hours in therapy, Simone would then rush to get ready in just half an hour.

She described moments when she would be in tears while trying to put on her makeup before the show, highlighting the emotional strain she was under. She said, “I’d be bawling my eyes out trying to put on my makeup because I’m talking to my therapist about the Olympic experience. Put on my face. Woo, hi, Golden America. Love to see you,” showing the contrast between Simone’s private struggles and her public persona. Even though she was dealing with emotional pain, she had to quickly switch gears and put on a happy face for her fans. As we reflect on these past struggles and the growth she has experienced since the previous edition, let us anticipate what the 2024 Gold Over America Tour has in store.

What does the second edition of the Gold Over America Tour have in store?

For the 2.0  edition of the Gold Over America tour, Simone Biles is making significant changes to broaden its appeal to her fans. The tour will visit 30 cities, starting in Southern California on Sept. 17 and ending in Detroit on Nov. 3. Biles, aiming to add to her seven Olympic medals this summer in Paris, wanted to make the tour more inclusive. While the first tour focused on showcasing female gymnasts, this time they’re including male gymnasts like Fred Richard, a bronze medalist at the World Championships. Biles and Richard believe it’s crucial to show the excitement of men’s gymnastics to a wider audience.

The phenom shared, “(The men) also bring a little bit, in the best way, sex appeal.” Joining Biles are teammates Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey, along with more gymnasts to be revealed soon. But the tour isn’t just about gymnastics; it’s about having fun and celebrating the sport. Alongside gymnastics, the show will feature rhythmic gymnastics and even some SlamBall players, all aimed at making the show even more exciting. The ultimate goal is to welcome as many people as possible into the experience.

As for whether Simone Biles will continue with the tour after this year, she’s not sure yet. For now, she’s focusing on the 2024 Olympics. As we eagerly await how Simone Biles and Team USA gymnasts pave their way to Paris, we anticipate the thrilling spectacle that 2024 promises to be. As we eagerly await Simone Biles and her fellow Team USA gymnasts’ journey to the Paris Olympics podium and the 2024 Gold Over America Tour, we anticipate that 2024 will be nothing short of epic.