"I would try to hide my muscles" - When Simone Biles claimed boys in her school felt 'jealous' of her body build

Simone Biles once opened up about feeling embarrassed about his gymnastic body structure, trying to hide to not get teased by the guys in school. The most decorated gymnast in history shed light on her awkward private school days in 2017.

Biles, 27, is a four-time Olympic gold medalist with six all-around World championship titles adorned on her wall of fame. Having missed out on most of the Tokyo Olympics events citing 'twisties,' Biles will look to make the most anticipated entry at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Coming into 2024, the seven-time Olympic gold medalist competed at the Gymnastics Camp in April, thus taking her excellence forward to the 2024 US Classic mat, earning an all-around score of 59.500.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Simone Biles earned four golds in team, all-around, vault, and floor. The greatest Olympiad of her also took her back to times when she had to deal with body image issues.

Speaking with CNN in 2016, Biles revealed that she always kept her muscles under wraps to avoid taunts in school:

"Going to public school nobody really had a body build that I did, and I was a girl, so the guys would sometimes make fun of me. I think they were just jealous because they didn’t have the muscle definition I did. I would try to hide my muscles, not show them, and I would always wear a jacket.”

These experiences came along with mental health struggles ensuing from foster care days. Despite her winning strides on the gymnastic mat, Biles was bombarded with hateful comments from fans for her looks on social media.

However, she was quick to snap back at fans, confirming that she was comfortable in her body however it is, as documented by CNN.

"You all can judge my body all you want, but at the end of the day it’s MY body. I love it & I’m comfortable in my skin.”

"I’ve learned to put on a strong front" - Simone Biles on overlooking body image issues

2024 Core Hydration Classic

Gymnastics work on beauty standards and body expectations, according to Simone Biles, who shared her take on the dark of sport with People magazine in 2020. Despite that, she let her gymnastic moves do the talking, sweeping title after title on the competitive mat.

"I’ve learned to put on a strong front and let most of it slide. But I’d be lying if I told you that what people say about my arms, my legs, my body…of how I look like in a dress, leotard, bathing suit or even in casual pants hasn’t gotten me down at times.”

Biles has qualified for the 2024 US Gymnastics Championships, which will act as the US Gymnastics Olympics qualifier.