"My parents had to miss work"- When Simone Biles opened up about her parent's sacrifices to support her gymnastics career

In 2016, Simone Biles opened up about her family's unwavering support and mentioned how their sacrifices were crucial in shaping her career. She credited their contributions for allowing her to pursue her gymnastics career.

In a 2016 interview with Today, the 27-year-old reflected on her journey to becoming a gymnastics star and highlighted the unwavering support of her family amid the challenges she faced. When asked about the role of her parents in her gymnastics career, Simone Biles highlighted the sacrifices they made and said:

"They have been one of the most like supportive family ever because not only do I have to sacrifice so much, my parents and my sister and my siblings they've had to sacrifice just as much, and I don't think people realize that because I'm the only one that goes out to compete. My sister has to miss school sometimes if she wanted to come or like my parents had to miss work," Biles said (1:45 onwards).

She also mentioned the small yet significant gestures her parents made to support her, like carrying her oversized bags through the airport because those were too heavy for her.

In her Netflix docuseries, Simone Biles Rising, Biles credited her adoptive parents for supporting her during a difficult Tokyo Olympics campaign. The docuseries, released in October this year, follows her comeback journey amid the struggles and backlash she faced after withdrawing from 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

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Simone Biles' mother backed her after the gymnast withdrew from 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Simone Biles and her family at Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix's "Simone Biles Rising: Part 2" - Source: Getty

In her Netflix docuseries 'Simone Biles Rising,' the episode Write Me Down in History shed light on the immense pressure Biles faced leading up to and during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Biles also discussed the challenges she encountered, including her decision to withdraw and the emotional toll of dealing with the expectations people had for her, especially after her promising 2016 Olympics performance.

The episode documented Biles' withdrawal from the 2020 Olympic games due to mental health struggles, particularly the twisties. When Biles called her mother to inform her about the decision to withdraw, Nellie Biles responded:

"You can't do it. That's okay, honey. That's okay. They will do their best without you. I don't want you going out there if you're not in a good place, and you don't need to go out there and hurt yourself. That's just not right, okay? You need to take care of yourself." (16:21 onwards)

Following her withdrawal from Tokyo Olympics, Simone Biles faced criticism from fans and the media, with some reportedly calling her weak or selfish for her decision.

However, the 27-year-old silenced all critics with her stellar 2024 Paris Olympics campaign, winning three gold medals and one silver medal, bringing her Olympic medal tally to 11 with seven golds.