Flaunt it if you’ve got it! Olympic champion Simone Biles is the most decorated gymnast in the United States — so it’s no surprise that she looks incredible in a bikini.
The athlete isn’t afraid to share steamy swimsuit selfies on her Instagram, but she is also very conscious of how conventional beauty standards can be potentially harmful to her peers and fans. In fact, she previously opened up about trying to live up to those ideals can be a “daily challenge” we didn’t ask for in a thoughtful Instagram post.
“In gymnastics, as in many other professions, there is a growing competition that has nothing to do with performance itself. I’m talking about beauty,” she explained about how the issue rears its head in competitive sports via the platform in February 2020. “I don’t know why but others feel as though they can define your own beauty based on their standards.”
The Texas native admitted that she had “learned to put on a strong front and let most of it slide” over the years — and considering the athlete started her gymnastics career when she was 6 years old, it’s clear she has been staying strong in the face of societal pressures for a long time. However, she noted that she would “be lying if I told you that what people say about my arms, my legs, my body … of how I look like in a dress, leotard, bathing suit, or even in casual pants hasn’t gotten me down at times.”
“I’m tired of everything in life being turned into a competition, so I’m standing up for myself and for everyone else that has gone through the same,” the five-time world all-around champion concluded in her post. “Today, I say I am done competing versus beauty standards and the toxic culture of trolling when others feel as though their expectations are not met because nobody should tell you or I what beauty should or should not look like.”
It’s clear the champion is dedicated to furthering her message. In February 2020, Simone partnered up with beauty brand SK-II to be a face for the company — simply because she said she would no longer participate in the competition between women that today’s beauty standards impose.
Scroll through the gallery below to see the best photos of the Olympic champion rocking bikinis and swimsuits!