Concluding her legendary comeback after a two-year hiatus, seven-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles has been named the 2023 Associated Press Athlete of the Year.
The 26-year-old won the title for the third time in her career by voting by a committee of sports media professionals. Biles previously received this honor in 2016 and 2019. Iowa State basketball star Caitlin Clark, who broke through during the NCAA Tournament last season, followed Biles in votes this year. Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmatti, who impressed on her way to winning the World Cup for Spain in August, finished third.
Biles announced her plans to return to gymnastics in July and immediately began collecting awards. From winning her historic eighth all-around title at the US Championships to winning her 20th World Championship title, she seemed unstoppable.
The path to each impressive accomplishment was marked by unexpected feats, all of which advanced her legend. It was fitting that her triumph culminated in the World Championships, where the competition was held in Belgium – in the same arena where she won her first world all-around title a decade earlier.
At the World Championships, Biles became the first woman to do the Yurchenko double javelin, leading to the jump being named after her. By winning her sixth all-around title at the World Championships, she became the most decorated gymnast in history.
All of this came after Biles withdrew from several finals at the end of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to her experience with “twisties”, a serious condition that prevented her from determining her position in the air. The decision to prioritize her safety was praised by some and criticized by others.
In the aftermath, she entered what she described as a “protective shell.” She spoke about her hiatus with The Associated Press, describing her experience with therapy and finding balance during the time away.
As evidenced by her sharing a wedding photo of her wedding to Green Bay Packers safety Jonathan Owens on Instagram in response to her “best moment of 2023,” Biles now looks back on her gymnastics accomplishments as a reward.
“Eventually, I did worlds and all that stuff, but I got married, and I had to support him,” she told the AP. “It’s nice that gymnastics isn’t the main spin piece.”
Although she has nothing left to prove as the GOAT of gymnastics, Biles has expressed her desire to compete in the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.