WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 7: U.S. President Joe Biden presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Simone Biles, Olympic gold medal gymnast and mental health advocate, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House July 7, 2022 in Washington, DC. President Biden awarded the nation's highest civilian honor to 17 recipients. The award honors individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Simone Biles was one of 17 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden on Thursday afternoon. Biles first gained prominence at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics where she won several medals for individual performance. Biles is one of the most decorated gymnasts of all time, with 32 combined Olympics and world championship medals to her name.
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Biles became a worldwide champion for mental health when she decided to withdraw from several events at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, citing a developing issue with “the twisties,” a phenomenon where gymnasts lose air awareness during their routines.
Some Olympics fans and conservative media outlets insulted Biles for dropping out and accused her of being a quitter, but most supporters and fellow athletes rallied around her and her desire to preserve her mental health and well-being.
Other recipients of the medal were Megan Rapinoe and former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Denzel Washington was meant to get a medal, but dropped out of the ceremony due to testing positive for Covid-199.
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