Simone Biles cements her legacy as her former coach honors the GOAT who’s shaping the future of USA gymnastics

Last year was a historic year for Simone Biles at the Olympics

Simone Biles’ remarkable career reached another pinnacle at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she added four more medals to her collection: three golds in the women’s all-around, vault and team competitions, and a silver in the floor exercise. At 27, she became the oldest U.S. gymnast to compete in the Olympics in more than seven decades, defying expectations and cementing her status as one of the sport’s greatest athletes. With 11 Olympic medals, she is now tied with Czech gymnast Vera Caslavska, trailing only Larisa Latynina’s record 18. Her dominance in Paris reignited debates about her place in history and whether she should have been named TIME’s Athlete of the Year instead ofCaitlin Clark. While Biles received the honor in 2021, many believe her recent accomplishments warranted a second title.

Biles’ Legacy Continues
Recently, Biles made headlines not for competition, but for a heartfelt reunion. Accompanied by her husband, NFL safety Jonathan Owens, she visited Athens, Georgia, where she reconnected with her former coach, Cecile Canqueteau-Landi. The two shared an emotional moment at Stegeman Coliseum, where Landi, now Georgia’s co-head gymnastics coach, welcomed Biles with open arms. Landi coached Biles from 2017 through her historic Olympic run in 2024, before moving on to lead Georgia’s program. Despite parting ways professionally, their bond remains strong, a testament to the impact Landi had on Biles’ triumphant return to the world stage after the challenges she faced at Tokyo 2021.