Simone Biles flips, twists, and soars like no one else on the planet, but her excellence is about more than her jaw-dropping moves
Lily Rosen (she/her) // Crew Writer
Kit Vega (she/they) // Illustrator
Simone Biles is redefining what it means to be an athlete, sparking conversations around mental health, opportunities for women of colour in sports and owning your own narrative. For athletes at Capilano University, Biles is more than just a gymnast—she’s a blueprint for rewriting the rules.
With 106 medals from the Olympics, World Championships, and U.S. titles, Biles is the most decorated gymnast in history. Talk about pressure! She faces the expectations of the sports world [a white- and male-dominated industry], the pressure of those she’s inspired and of herself. Handling the emotional loads of such social pressures takes a toll on your mental wellbeing. As such, Biles became a mental health advocate alongside her athletic career. She truly does it all.
Georgette Reed, Capilano University’s Director of Athletics and Recreation, is a former Olympian and national champion herself. For this article, she reflected on the weight Simone Biles has lifted off the shoulders of many athletes by openly discussing mental health.
“It was great that Simone brought [the pressure of elite sports] to light,” Reed said. “People often don’t realize how much your mental health can be affected by the demands of trying to be the very best.”
Biles, favoured to win gold, shocked the world when she withdrew from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She attributed her departure to what gymnasts call the “twisties,” a dangerous loss of mind-body connection and spatial awareness while in the air. Her choice ignited a public conversation about our expectations for athletes and the prioritization of safety. Through it all, Biles stood her ground.
“People have made jokes about it, saying athletes’ choke’ or ‘crack.’ But the things that Simone talked about are critical; in sports at this level, it can be life or death,” Reed continued. Biles’ decision encouraged the world to be empathetic as an audience, seeing competitors on the screen as people rather than some flawless, untouchable celebrities. Reed emphasized the importance of Biles’ stance, saying, “It gave many people permission to start looking after their mental health.”
Athletes at Capilano feel more empowered to seek support when needed, a shift that Reed connects to the rise of powerful figures like Biles. “When you see someone like Simone, who is so high-calibre as an athlete, saying she’s not okay and needs help, it makes you think it’s okay to ask for help too,” she said. This change is visible on the ground.
However, there’s still a long way to go. Despite the increased visibility of women in sports, the media often highlights athletes like Biles by framing them first as poster children of social change. “Sometimes, I find that it’s checking off boxes,” Reed noted. “Rather than just saying she’s an athlete, they always say a black athlete, a black female athlete.”
She believes that while it’s important to celebrate diversity, these labels can overshadow the achievements themselves. “It doesn’t matter what nationality you are or where you come from; you’re still an athlete and trying to do the very best you can.”
In a world obsessed with performance and results, Simone Biles proved that being the best means more than winning—it means taking care of yourself, too. In the wake of Biles’ impact, Reed feels cautiously optimistic about the future of sports. “I would like to hope that the media narrative is changing, but until we find a way of supporting rather than belittling each other for our mistakes, it’s gonna take a while,” she remarked. However, she believes that the more athletes like Biles continue to succeed and advocate for change, the more progress will be made.
Simone Biles’ world is one where excellence, vulnerability and authenticity coexist. For athletes at Capilano University, her journey is a beacon of what is possible. The future of sports isn’t just about winning—it’s about being strong enough to say, “I’m more than what I do. I’m who I am.” And thanks to Simone Biles, that’s a message every athlete can carry with them, both on and off the field.
