In a post celebrating her team’s Olympic win, Simone Biles threw shade her former teammate and simultaneously marked a new era for American gymnastics. Here’s why:
Simone Biles and the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team were on top of the world after their victory in Tuesday’s Olympic team final. Minutes after leaving the Paris podium, the newly-minted Olympic Champions took to social media to celebrate their win. While all five medalists shared celebratory posts, Simone Biles’ post turned heads.
Instead of opting for an emotional essay or something as simple as “Olympic Champions,” Biles shared a pointed caption alongside a triumphant photo of the team, titling the post, “lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions ❤️????????????.”
While casual fans speculated about the intent behind her quote, gymnastics’ roaring fanbase swiftly understood the gold-medal message. Biles’ heated words were a direct jab at former teammate, 2021 Olympic silver-medalist Mykayla Skinner.Skinner’s Former Teammates Also Chimed In
Biles wasn’t the only one to chime in and share some shade. Countless prominent names and brands expressed support for her message, including Nastia Liukin, Laurie Hernandez, and USA Gymnastics. Her own teammate, two-time Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee, may have offered the most creative comment of all.
“Put a finger down if Simone Biles just ended you ????????,” Lee commented, likely referencing Skinner’s (now-deleted) TikTok video where she evoked a similar phrase.
