"Touches on some real-life things that people go through" - When Simone Biles commented on Gold Over America Tour following Tokyo Olympics
Following the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Simone Biles presented the Gold Over America Tour held from September 21 to November 7, 2021, in around 35 cities including Tucson, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Houston, Brooklyn, and Boston.
Biles was accompanied by fellow gymnasts, including 2020 Olympic floor exercise gold medalist Jade Carey, 2020 Olympic team event medalist Jordan Chiles, 2020 Olympic silver medalist in the vault MyKayla Skinner, Shilese Jones, and Ellie Black.
The Gold Over America Tour was described as the 'gymnastics-meets-pop-concert spectacular', an amalgamation of sports and entertainment aimed at motivating young female athletes.
The announcement to organize this post-Olympic all-women tour was made by Biles in late 2019. Biles withdrew from the individual all-around event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to prioritize her mental health as she started experiencing twisties.
Following the Tokyo Olympics, in an interview with The Kelly Clarkson Show along with Chiles, Biles expressed the idea of the Gold Over America Tour. She stated how special the show was as one of the segments of the show named 'Overwhelmed' focused on mental health. She said:
"The message throughout the show has some real, and rawness to it. So I think that’s really special."
She added:
"One of the segments is called Overwhelmed and it kind of touches on that anxiety, depression. Whenever you get in that funk, the closest people around you kind of lift you up and support you and that’s how you sometimes can get out of that. So I think that is really raw. Touches on some real-life things that people go through."
"I feel blessed to just get to watch her," Kelly Clarkson praises Simone Biles post her success at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
Simone Biles cemented her legacy at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp after securing five medals, including four gold medals in the team, individual all-around, balance beam, and floor exercise. Additionally, she also secured a silver medal in the vault.
Kelly Clarkson, who invited Biles to her show ahead of the Gold Over America Tour, was amazed by the gymnast's exceptional talent and couldn't stop herself from penning down a sweet praise for her on X (formerly Twitter).
“Look, I would settle for the ability to do a kart wheel like @simonebiles,” she wrote. “She is magnificent!! My gosh, I feel blessed to just get to watch her.”