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On Oct. 8, 2023, Simone Biles won her fourth gold medal of the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, making this her 23rd World Championship. Although she just finished a two-year break before the championship, Biles came back better than ever to show everyone what she does best: winning no matter the circumstances. 

Biles began by winning a seventh consecutive team title with the U.S. women’s team during the competition in Antwerp, Belgium. On Oct. 7, Biles continued competing by partaking in the vault; she ultimately won silver after falling to complete her signature move, the eponymous Biles II, or the Yurchenko double pike, instead of choosing the twisting Cheng which scored her 15.1 points. 

Biles did not have the same luck with the uneven bars, scoring a 14.333 that put her in fifth place. Even though this was not exactly according to plan, Biles bounced back in majestic fashion to secure her third and fourth wins of the 2023 World Championships. Biles was able to win gold with both her beam and floor routines, which were every bit as perfect as you could imagine, bringing her to a record total of 37 medals across the Olympics and world championships.  

If you remember the last time that Simone Biles competed, you might specifically recall her decision to take a break from the sport to focus on her mental health. With this in mind, it is important to note how this decision impacted many, especially women of color. 

Talking about how she dealt with this break, Biles mentioned that she had to go through “breathing exercises” and “visualization.” Initially, Simone Biles was criticized for her decision to put her health first, with some calling her a “national embarrassment” and demanding that she be removed from the U.S. women’s gymnastics team. Ultimately, Biles ignored these comments, shared her decision to go to therapy, and talked about the impact of gymnastics on her mental health. And when she came back, she came back ready. 

So, what does this mean for people of color? Especially women of color? 

Simone Biles’ win supports the notion that women of color can not only exhibit excellence in sports, but also deserve to be described as strong and powerful. Additionally, Simone Biles’ win paved the way for a younger generation to understand that it is ok to take time to breathe even if your culture or environment says otherwise. 

There is often an intersection between race and gender, and more times than not that intersection affects the way you play in a sport. In the case of Biles, being black and a female made her more susceptible to criticism, especially about these two important pieces of her identity. Despite the harsh response, Simone Biles became a role model for little girls everywhere, showing that anything is possible even if you do not get it the first time. It is especially meaningful as it shows that your race should not matter when competing, just your skill level and dedication. 

It is important to mention that it was not only Simone Biles’ win that represented the excellence of people of color but also the win of Fred Richard, the first American man to win a world championship all-around medal in 13 years and the youngest of all time, earning a bronze medal on Oct. 5.

Richard began the evening with a floor routine earning a strong 14.633 points, the highest score of the competition in that specific area. After sticking his 2 ½ -twisting vault for the third score, Richard experienced a major slip when he fell off the high bar, but still worked to end his cleanest high bar finish yet.  

The judges revealed a total score of 84.332, especially impressive given that Richard competed at just 19 years old. Coming behind Japan’s reigning world and Olympic champion, Daiki Hashimoto and Illia Kovtun of Ukraine, Richard led the U.S. men’s gymnastics to a bronze medal which ended their medal drought after nearly a decade.  

When talking about his strategies for winning, Richard mentioned that his first goal was to “stay healthy” and stated that he constantly told himself that “it’s not over yet” despite falling off the bar. What is important to note about Richard’s victory is the amount of hope that Richard displayed for not only himself but those who are in other sports as well. Richard’s victory not only exemplifies the support needed from one athlete to another, but also the importance of treating yourself with kindness. 

The victories of both Simone Biles and Fred Richard show the importance of not only representing people of color but also advocating for the health of athletes. It is always worth it to tune into gymnastics and see exactly why both Biles and Richard are champions in their own right. 
Oluchi Chukwuemeka can be reached at ochukwuemeka@wesleyan.edu.