Lub, dub-the hearts are racing and pressure is mounting akin to a ticking time bomb in gymnastics with just three days left until the Paris Olympics. It’s obvious! Whether rookie or veteran, everyone is feeling the heat and walking a tightrope of nerves. And Simone Biles, in particular, is under the spotlight, with expectations stacked high as if she’s carrying the weight of the world. Amid this maelstrom of anticipation, what she needs most is a lifeline of encouragement. That’s exactly what Biles received from Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson, who recently offered her a pep talk and some advice to help her weather the storm!

On July 23rd, Shawn Johnson appeared on Yahoo Sports’ YouTube channel for an interview with host Caroline Fenton. When the host asked Johnson what to expect from Simone Biles at the Paris Olympics, Johnson, with a beaming smile and a tone full of conviction, responded, “Greatness.” Considering Biles’ outstanding career, including 37 medals, this prediction is hardly surprising.

Johnson elaborated, “She’s the greatest athlete our sport will ever see. To see the difficulty in how she’s transcended the sport and how she’s created- like she’s pushed boundaries and standards and foundational-level skills she’s truly taken our sport to a different, different world. As far as what to expect in Paris, I think she’s capable of everything, anything you can possibly imagine she’s capable of.”

Indeed, Biles has solidified her legacy with five signature moves named after her across the floor, vault, and balance beam. At 27, she is gearing up for her third Olympic appearance. A medal of any color in Paris would make her the oldest American female gymnast to win an Olympic medal since 1948.

However, Johnson still has some concerns about Biles, despite her confidence. Reflecting on the immense pressure Biles had to face, Johnson noted, “But I also think the entire world is putting a microscope on her and expecting so much. I don’t care who you are; that’s a lot of weight to carry. For me, I just keep hoping that she keeps her, you know, ears plugged in and her phone’s down because this is her, she has nothing to prove to the world. I really hope people’s expectations don’t get to her because this is her moment, and it’s something she’s fought to come back for. I just want her to go and do what she’s capable of doing. When we get to witness what she is truly capable of, it is magic. But ever since Biles’ iconic Olympic debut, people have been expecting a lot from her and for good reason as she’s consistently managed to fire across all cylinders.

In her first Olympics in 2016, Simone Biles, at just 19 years old, was the favorite to steal the show, and she did just that. She guided the United States to gold in the team event, dazzled in the individual all-around, and clinched victories in both the floor and vault events. Her performance was a gold mine of achievements, as she became one of only five female gymnasts to win four gold medals in a single Olympics. Then heading into the delayed 2020 Tokyo Games, expectations were through the roof, but she faced personal challenges that showed even the brightest stars have their cloudy days.

Every fall is a step up, as Simone Biles proved it

In Tokyo 2020, when Simone Biles sprinted down the vault runway at the start of the women’s team final, the world’s gaze was locked on her every move. But there was something off. Although Biles had previously made the notoriously difficult Amanar vault look effortless, she only completed one-and-a-half twists instead of the planned two-and-a-half, struggling to land on her feet.

It soon became clear that she was dealing with the Twisties, a mental block that caused her to lose spatial awareness mid-air. Recognizing the danger of attempting complex maneuvers under such conditions, Biles withdrew from most of the finals. She made a comeback on the final day, earning a bronze medal with a modified routine, then took a break for almost 2 years! Following the Games, she took nearly two years off to recover. In 2023, Biles returned stronger than ever, dominating every event she entered. Now, as she approaches her third Olympics, she’s set to prove once again that she’s a force to be reckoned with.