“Let’s bring the fun back into the sport, let’s support one another” - Simone Biles on her approach for Paris Olympics

By Animesh Pandey

Modified Oct 02, 2024 05:57 GMT

Olympic champion gymnast Simone Biles is touring the USA as a part of the second 'Gold over America Tour'. The team is currently in the state of Pennsylvania, where they will be performing first at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh today, before proceeding to the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, where they will be performing on October 4.

Simone Biles recently joined the 'Boston has entered the Chat' podcast, presented by NESN channel. She talked about the importance of the 'GOAT Tour', as well as her memorable experience at the Paris Olympics.

When asked about what was her approach towards the Paris Olympics, which was her third appearance at the Olympics, Biles responded,

".....Paris again was kind of like, let's bring fun back again into the sport. Let's support one another. Tokyo wasn't the best but we're all going to go out here, redeem ourselves and show everybody what we're capable of..... " [03:45 onwards]

The Olympic champion also recounted how much different the Tokyo Olympics was compared to others, with negligible crowds. Simone Biles had qualified for her event finals at the Tokyo Olympics, but withdrew at the last moment from most of them due to the 'twisties' phenomenon [where the gymnast develops a brain fade mid air].

Biles managed to win only a silver medal in the team all-around event, and a bronze medal in the balance beam event. However, she bounced back at the Tokyo Olympics, winning three Olympic gold medals in the team all-around, the individual all-around, and the vault events. She also won a silver medal in the floor exercise event at the Paris Olympics.

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Simone Biles on inspiring generations through the 'Gold over America' Tour

Simone Biles on the impact of 'Gold over America Tour' [Image for Representational Purposes] [Image Source: Getty]

Simone Biles is currently leading the second season of the 'Gold over America Tour'. Conceptualized in 2019, the primary aim of this tour is to popularize gymnastics by organizing a musical styled performance tour, just after the Tokyo Olympics. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both the Tokyo Olympics, as well as the 'GOAT' tour were delayed until 2021.

In the recent podcast 'Boston has entered the Chat', Biles talked about what she aims to achieve through this program. In her words,

"It's big that it puts gymnastics on a stage like we've never seen before it's gymnastics meets a concert but as you pointed out the fan interaction is so important as well yes 100% because they've supported us on our careers for so long. So, it's such a blessing that we're able to put on a show like this to give back even if it's just a little bit of inspiration and waving to them and um just so that again they feel seen and heard." [2:04 onwards]

"But, it really is so exciting because whenever we're at the Olympics we're really really stressed we have a job to do but here it's all fun that's all we're here to do is to have fun, inspire the Next Generation, tell our stories and hopefully leave everyone with a piece of gold", Simone Biles further added.

Initially an all-women event, 'Gold over America Tour' has been diversified as a major tour, with both the male and the female artistic gymnasts from the Team USA performing at the tour. Apart from that, the American gymnasts who represented the nation in the rhythmic gymnastics category at the Paris Olympics were also selected for the tour.