Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky named in Sports Illustrated's 2024 list of 50 Most Influential Figures in Sports

American sporting prodigies Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky have been featured among Sports Illustrated's 2024 Power List of the 50 most influential figures in sports. Both the US icons added to their impressive medal hauls at the Paris Olympics 2024, which concluded in August.

Biles extended her medal count to 11 after securing three golds and a silver at the Paris Games. To begin her Olympic campaign, Biles assisted Team United States to reclaim their team all-around title for the first time since the 2016 Rio Olympics. The Biles-led American lineup accumulated a combined score of 171.296 to earn the gold medal.

Following that, the 27-year-old participated in the individual all-around event and scored 59.131 to win her second consecutive gold in the French capital. Biles capped off the Paris event by securing gold and silver in vault and floor exercise apparatuses. With that, she became the most decorated American Olympic gymnast of all time and ranked seventh on the all-time Olympic medalist list.

In contrast, Katie Ledecky, the most decorated female swimmer of all time, also added to her ever-growing list of accolades. Ledecky successfully defended both her 800m and 1500m freestyle titles and set a new Olympic record in the latter discipline with a time of 15:30.02. The 27-year-old also added a silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay and a bronze in the 400m freestyle to her Olympic kitty.

All these achievements of Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles secured them a place on Sports Illustrated's 2024 list of the 50 most influential figures in sports. The list was divided into four categories: icons and leaders, athletes, executives, and influencers.

In the first category, legends such as Biles, LeBron James, and Tom Brady have been included, whereas, in the athletes section, standout names like Ledecky, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Victor Wembanyama, and Paul Skenes are there. The third category involves the owners and commissioners, like Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the NFL, and Michael Rubin, founder and CEO of Fanatics. The last section consists of sports influencers such as Stephen A. Smith, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, etc.

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Simone Biles reflects on her Paris Olympics success

Simone Biles pictured at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 (Image via Getty)

After becoming the most decorated US Olympic gymnast in history, Simone Biles was asked if her Paris Olympics achievements had fully sunk in. She intriguingly replied that they haven't and would likely sink in the day she decides to retire.

"Not completely and I don't think I will until one day I decide to retire. But yesterday when we got back to the village I looked at Jordan and I just started bawling my eyes out and she was like I knew it was gonna happen" she stated (via Today Show).

"I think I was so full of emotion and I finally released all of that. I was so proud, happy, and bittersweet that the journey is over and it's so crazy that it happened so quick, my third Olympics," she added.

Regarding her potential participation at the LA Olympics in 2028, Biles said she would "never say never" and also acknowledged the reality of aging.