Sports Illustrated Names Simone Biles 2024 Sportsperson Of The Year – Essence

Simone Biles has been named Sports Illustrated’s 2024 Sportsperson of the Year, adding another accolade to her illustrious career. The announcement, made Thursday, celebrates a historic year for the 27-year-old gymnast, who solidified her legacy as one of the greatest athletes of all time with a stunning performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“Honestly, it is such a huge honor,”  Biles shared on Good Morning America. “I know some of the greats that have won it in prior years, so to just keep gymnastics on the map is really exciting. I know a lot of people love the sport of gymnastics during an Olympic year and have followed my career closely, but I was still very shocked.”

In Paris, Biles captured four medals—three golds in team, all-around, and floor exercise, and a silver in vault—bringing her total medal count to 11. Her victories tied her for the second-most decorated female gymnast in Olympic history, an achievement made even more remarkable by her journey back from the struggles she faced in Tokyo 2020, where she withdrew from several events due to the “twisties,” a disorienting condition that left her mind and body dangerously out of sync.

“Simone Biles is Sports Illustrated’s 2024 Sportsperson of the Year because she won gold, and then another gold, and then another; because she changed the face of her sport and the conversations around athletes in general; because she continues to speak out about issues that matter to her,” the magazine wrote of Biles. “And perhaps most of all because after she wondered aloud to [teammate Jordan] Chiles whether she was about to relive the darkest period of her career, she took a deep breath, she saluted the judges and she broke into a run.”

The honor reflects not only her dominance in gymnastics but also her resilience, advocacy, and ability to inspire. Biles will officially accept the award on January 7 at the annual Sports Illustrated Awards, hosted by Keegan-Michael Key at Wynn Las Vegas.

The recognition marks a fitting close to a year where Biles reclaimed her throne in gymnastics and showed the world what it means to rise above adversity.