Simone Biles is lighting in a bottle and the AP Female Athlete of the Year once again.
It’s the third time winning the award for Biles, who returned to gymnastics after two years away, blowing away any expectations that anyone likely had for her. The last prominent memory of the gymnast before her return was of her earning a bronze medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
It was a bitter and somber moment for many fans as Biles battled mental hurdles and the “twisties,” a feeling of being lost in the air, similar to vertigo. But, after she took time away (and married Jonathan Owens), it was almost as if she picked up right where she left off.
She won a record-breaking eighth U.S. national championship and a sixth world all-around gold medal, making the 4-foot-11 powerhouse the most decorated gymnast ever.
Simone Biles becomes the sixth woman to claim the AP honor for a third time 👏#ThatsaW pic.twitter.com/NJJpprhdh0
— espnW (@espnW) December 22, 2023
After her incredible year, here are 11 photos to celebrate her ascension back to the top:
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