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Louise Thomas
Editor
Simone Biles would like everyone to know that she’s won 11 Olympic medals, seven of which have been gold.
After being greeted with a glow-up sign that read, “11 X gold medalist,” while out at a club over Labor Day weekend, the Olympic gymnast took to her Instagram story to make an important correction.
Biles shared a picture of the “sweet” sign and wrote: “*7x gold medalist. *11x Olympic medalist.”
During her night out, soaking in the last few summer moments, the all-around world champion title holder was presented with the bright sign, sparklers, and bottle service. Though the message miscalculated her number of gold medals earned, Biles was touched by the gesture. “They were close. Still super sweet,” she wrote on her Instagram story.
Since her outstanding comeback in the 2024 Paris Olympics, taking home three gold medals and one silver, she’s made sure to celebrate her achievements and treat herself. While spending time in the City of Light before the closing ceremony on August 11, Biles went on a shopping spree at Hermès.
On August 9, the competitor, often regarded as “the greatest athlete of all time,” took to her Instagram story, sharing a sneak peek at her purchases. She snapped a picture of Hermès’ wall of Birkin bags and an image of the orange box that packaged her purse, which could cost anywhere from $17,000 to six figures.
Biles returned from Paris with her new Birkin and a fresh title: “The most decorated US Olympic gymnast.” The gold medalist surpassed Shannon Miller in her medal count after this year’s Olympic Summer Games, winning gold in the women’s all-around team final, gold in the vault final, gold in the women’s all-around individual final, and silver in the floor final.
During the Tokyo 2021 games, Biles was forced to bow out of the competition due to an unfortunate case of “the Twisties,” a common mental condition amongst gymnasts when their mind-body connection goes array.
The Team USA captain reflected on her decision to pull out of the Tokyo competition in her new Netflix docuseries, Simone Biles: Rising, directed by Katie Walsh. “I knew from that one moment. To me it felt silent. I felt like I was in jail in my own brain and body,” the athlete explained, referencing the vault she performed incorrectly in Tokyo.
“After Tokyo, I had not one ounce of belief in myself,” she added, noting how she was labeled a “quitter” by many for months afterward.
Heading into this year’s games, Biles prioritized her mental health by limiting her social media use.
Speaking to Hoda Kotb before the 2024 Olympics, she revealed her plan to delete X, formerly known as Twitter, off her phone.
