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Simone Biles is back in the U.S. following this summer’s Tokyo Olympics, and she is looking happier than ever.
The 24-year-old Olympic gymnast, who withdrew from multiple events at the Tokyo Games to prioritize her mental health, took to Instagram on Sunday and shared a pair of smiley snaps. The post, which Biles captioned, “🍬 sweet like candy🍬 ,” features the seven-time Olympic medalist grinning while modeling a tie-dye bikini. The gymnast was met with support from fans, some of whom said they were happy to see the Olympian enjoying some much-deserved R&R.
“You do you,” commented one user on Instagram. “It’s time you let loose, relax, and be that beautiful Simone you are! You are the best gymnast in the world, but that’s not who you are. You are an incredible young woman, you are setting such a positive example for so many. Not just in the sport, but those that needed to hear that it’s ok to step [back] and take care of you. I applaud you immensely!”
“We love to see a queen smiling and live life,” wrote another fan in the Instagram comments, while another follower praised Biles for being so forthcoming about her struggles during the Olympics. “Yeah, you did it! Your way and thank you for sharing your vulnerability and humanness. What a victory. Go, Simone, 🥰👏🏽🦋.”
Biles, who has long been heralded as the greatest gymnast of all time, made the difficult decision at the Tokyo Games to sit out of prominent gymnastics events, including the women’s team and individual all-around finals. In a series of Instagram Stories shared in late July, Biles revealed that she had been struggling with the “twisties,” a phenomenon that can cause a gymnast to lose their sense of dimension and space while in the air. The condition could also lead to a gymnast being unable to land safely.
“It’s the craziest feeling ever,” wrote Biles on her Instagram Story at the time. “Not having an inch of control over your body. What’s even scarier is since I have no idea where I am in the air I also have NO idea how I’m going to land. Or what I’m going to land on. Head/hands/feet/back…”
Although Biles had received praise from celebrities for her decision to focus on her mental health over medaling, trolls chastised the gymnast’s choice, calling her a quitter. Biles, however, fiercely clapped back on her Instagram Story in late July. “For anyone saying I quit. I didn’t quit my mind and body are simply not in sync. I don’t think you realize how dangerous this is on hard/competition surface, nor do I have to explain why I put health first,” she said at the time.
No one has displayed resilience this summer quite like Biles. And now that she’s back home in the U.S. enjoying her time off in style, too. And we have to say, that tie-dye suit is TDF. Agree? Peep the styles below to see how you can flaunt a similar suit.
– 90 Available at Terez
– 90 Available at Terez
– 44 Available at Dippin’ Daisy’s
– 44 Available at Dippin’ Daisy’s
– 9 Available at Shein