"I'm not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps" - When Simone Biles opened up on rising to celebrity status as a 19-year-old gymnast

Seven-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles once spoke about her rise to celebrity status and being compared to legendary names like Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps following her success at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Biles captured five medals at the Rio Games.

Biles grabbed the limelight during her debut Olympic appearance in 2016, where she clinched four gold medals and a bronze. The then-19-year-old gymnast secured golds in the floor exercise, vault, individual all-around, and team all-around, along with a bronze in the balance beam. Her only miss came in the uneven bars where she failed to medal. Her individual all-around title also marked the fourth consecutive gold for an American woman on the Olympic stage, making her the fifth US female gymnast to ever win the title in that event.

Even though the Rio Olympics marked her first Summer Games appearance, Biles had already cemented her status as one of the most decorated artistic gymnasts of all time. She had amassed 15 World Championship medals, including 10 golds, four US all-around titles, nine US Classic golds, and numerous other accolades.

Biles' success at the Rio Games at the time positioned her as the next big star on the Olympic stage, drawing comparisons to legendary athletes like Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps. However, she noted that she did not like being compared to them, emphasizing that she was the first Simone Biles and not the next Bolt or Phelps.

"I'm not a celebrity. I'm just Simone Biles, but it's amazing to be recognized for all of this success for myself and for Team USA. I'm not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. I'm the first Simone Biles. To me, I'm just the same Simone," she said (via an interview with abc news in August 2016).

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"It makes people happy and then it just pisses people off" - Simone Biles on being called the GOAT

During her appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in September, Simone Biles was asked being called the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) and she was even wearing a GOAT necklace. In response, she said:

"I think it’s funny to play off, obviously all of my fans and people have embraced, loved and supported me throughout my journey. But also the haters, because there’s always the comments like, ‘Stop calling her the G.O.A.T. She’s not the G.O.A.T.’ So it’s like it makes people happy and then it just pisses people off." [02:38 onwards]

Biles is currently occupied with the Gold Over America Tour following her stellar performance at the Paris Olympics, where she won three gold medals and one silver.