Simone Biles honoured by Amanda Gorman with original poem titled: “The Greatest”
To celebrate Biles' InStyle award win the famed American wordsmith penned a poem dedicated to the gymnast, shedding light on the woman behind the medals and highlighting how Biles emphasised that "greatness lies not in if we’ve won but if we’ve grown"
Artistic Gymnastics
Finding a way to honour the greatest gymnast of all time Simone Biles is no easy task.
With 32 world championship gymnastic medals and seven Olympic medals, four of which are gold, when it comes to silverware the 24-year-old American has it all.
That’s why when American poetess Amanda Gorman was tasked with handing Biles her 2021 InStyle ‘Original’ Award she opted to use the gift of her words and speak instead to the woman behind the accolades to celebrate her achievement.
In her original poem titled ‘The Greatest’ Gorman shared: “She is a champion because she never settles for less than the rebel she is.”
“That is what it means to be Biles bold, a beauty to behold at just 24 years old. She is such a treasure. Her worth measures more than gold.”
The poem also references Biles’ decision to withdraw from several of her events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in 2021 to protect her mental health. It was a decision that became one of the defining moments of the Games and has inspired athletes all around the world:
“Simone has showed that power is listening to a voice that is your own, that greatness lies not in if we’ve won but if we’ve grown, and that if one woman speaks her truth, she is never alone...
"From the very start, with everything, she brings her humanity, her humility, her hope. This, above all, is what makes Simone the GOAT."
Biles was "floored" with her poem according to her Instagram, thanked Gorman, and joked as she got a piece of paper out: "You make that look so easy! If you want to give my acceptance speech, you can just read my paper!"