Simone Biles Reveals Hidden ‘Tongue’ Talent On SI Red Carpet

Simone Biles has had an incredible career filled with ups and downs. Her dedication and resilience have been witnessed over and over, which led her to being named Sports Illustrated’s 2024 Sportsperson of the Year, a recognition of her unparalleled career in gymnastics.

Over the years, Biles has solidified her status as one of the greatest athletes in history, winning a record-breaking number of Olympic and World Championship gold medals. Her dominance in the gymnastics world, marked by innovative routines and incredible athleticism, has inspired countless young athletes around the world.

The Olympic medalist had a few minutes before heading into XS Nightclub in Wynn Las Vegas for the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year celebration on Tuesday night to chat with The Blast, sharing a few non-gymnastic details of her life.

Biles, 27, was named SI’s 2024 Sportsperson of the Year, marking the first Olympian to be recognized for this award since LeBron James in 2012 when he led the U.S. men’s basketball team to gold at the London Games.

“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,” according to Sports Illustrated.

“And perhaps most of all because after she wondered aloud to 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.”

In addition to her athletic achievements, Biles is known for her mental health advocacy and using her platform to highlight the importance of well-being for athletes.

When Biles walked the red carpet at the event held at XS Nightclub in Wynn Las Vegas, she had a moment to chat with The Blast. We learned that when she’s not training, she has a few go-to cheat meals.

“If it’s not a chicken and rice bowl, it’s got to be pizza. I feel like I don’t have any cheat meals. Me and my husband eat pretty healthy,” she told The Blast before heading into the awards ceremony. “Every now and then we’ll have a burger.”

She also revealed what talent she could wow judges in a talent show if it couldn’t be gymnastics. She said her talent would be “tongue tricks.” She added, “I don’t know how that would look, but I could do that.”

Her final thought before heading into the ceremony was a message for the younger generation of athletes.

“Never give up. Whatever you put your mind to, you can accomplish it,” she said. “Because whenever I started, I just wanted to maybe do college gymnastics and look at where we are now.”

Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman had the honor of presenting Biles’ award to her on Tuesday night at the Sportsperson of the Year ceremony held at Wynn Las Vegas.

“When you are Simone Biles, all eyes are on you. Athletes, coaches, judges, media, fans, their expectations and scrutiny weigh heavy on your mind, but perhaps the greatest weight of all is your own expectations. At the Olympic Games, when USA is on your leotard, the expectation is gold. When it is your turn, it is just you, up there all alone, the world watching,” Raisman said.

“The sport of gymnastics is unforgiving. Simply breathing at the wrong moment or miscalculating the timing of a skill can dash a dream you can’t forget since you were a child. Mistakes happen, but this stage demands perfection. In a culture so focused on winning, this can alter the course of someone’s life and the trajectory of a legacy.”

Raisman continued to share Biles’ empowering journey with the crowd.

“For over a decade, Simone has triumphed over that pressure and endured the ever-increasing expectations that come with being best in the world, of being the best ever. Even after 11 Olympic and 30 World Championship medals, Simone is still asked about the next one as if it will never be enough,” she continued.

“I first met Simone over a decade ago and quickly realized several things. She was going to be difficult to beat. In fact, my teammates and I even had a joke that if you got second to Simone, it’s really first, because Simone was in a league of her own. From the day I met Simone, she’s always been herself, unapologetically.”

During her acceptance speech, Biles shared a message for the younger generation; the “little ones out there.”

“Stay engaged and stay active because lessons learned through individual or team sports is something you can carry on through the rest of your life,” she said. “No matter what life may throw at you along your journey, be the best person you can be, follow your passion, and put in the work, and you know that I see the gold within all of you.”

She also recognized that 2024 was a “big year for women’s sports” and reminded everyone that “it’s not limited to once every four years, so continue to invest and support all women’s sports at all levels.”