Gymnast Simone Biles has been voted the Greatest Athlete of the 21st Century by a panel of 500 international sportswriters assembled by Sports Illustrated and L'Equipe, becoming the first female athlete and the first gymnast ever to receive the honor. Biles has now won 37 World Championship medals and seven Olympic gold medals across three Games.
In a written statement, Biles said the recognition meant the world to her, particularly after her decision to withdraw from several Tokyo 2020 events to protect her mental health. The panel praised not only her athletic dominance but her advocacy for mental health awareness and athlete rights.
LeBron James and Serena Williams ranked second and third respectively on the panel's list. Four skills in gymnastics bear Biles's name in the sport's code of points, a testament to the difficulty of moves she is uniquely capable of performing at competition level.