One of many biggest gymnasts of all time has nothing however reward for Simone Biles.
PEOPLE caught up with 5-time Olympic gold medalist Nadia Comăneci at an Olympic preview occasion, and he or she predicted nice issues from Biles, who at present has 4 Olympic gold medals.
“Everyone is there to observe her compete,” Comăneci, 62, advised PEOPLE on the Gold Meets Golden occasion in March forward of the 2024 Paris Video games.
When requested in regards to the technical bar that Biles, 27, has raised within the sport, Comăneci defined, “That is what she’s doing now for this technology. She’s someplace so excessive that everybody is taking a look at her and saying, ‘Yeah, I’ll attempt to do this in my very own means.’ ”
Biles brings an arsenal of inauspicious strikes to Paris (together with 5 completely different expertise named after her) — her third Video games following Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021.
Staff USA enters the group all-around closing on Tuesday, July 30 with the best rating. Biles leads the qualifiers for Thursday’s particular person all-around competitors, the occasion she received in Rio. She’ll be challenged by teammate Sunisa Lee, the all-around champion from Tokyo. Biles is closely favored regardless of sustaining a slight calf harm in qualifying.
Her ongoing perseverance, particularly after withdrawing from a number of occasions in Tokyo after getting “the twisties,” is what makes her a champion, says Comăneci.
“She is given this chance to know who you’re and to interrupt limitations and encourage the brand new technology,” the Romanian-born gymnast stated. “Each technology wants somebody to encourage them and he or she is certainly one of them.”
Naomi Baker/Getty
When reminded of her personal icon standing, Comăneci humbly joked, “Virtually a half decade in the past, however thanks!”
She additionally mirrored on her personal Olympic expertise, together with the 1976 Summer time Video games in Montreal as a younger teen.
“The primary one [1976] is the one I broke limitations at 14 years outdated, at a time when there weren’t too many sports activities for ladies. I used to be the youngest and the primary. Now, we discuss equality; ladies can do any sports activities guys can. However a few years in the past they had been like, ‘Women cannot do this.’ And thru my gymnastics, I stated, ‘Yeah they’ll!’ ”
Comăneci participated in Friday’s July 26 Opening Ceremony as one of many athletes within the torch relay. She was aboard the speedboat that introduced the torch to land alongside different legends Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Carl Lewis.
Whereas in Paris, she hopes to observe many alternative occasions.
“Gymnastics is 12 days, so after it’s executed, hopefully, I can watch monitor and discipline and swimming!” she stated enthusiastically.
To study extra about all of the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to individuals.com to take a look at ongoing protection earlier than, throughout and after the video games. And join Going for Gold, our Olympics publication, to get the largest tales from the Video games delivered straight to your inbox. Watch the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, starting July 26, on NBC and Peacock.
