Simone Biles Calls Out ESPN for Error About Olympic Medals: 'Awkward'

Marisa Losciale
·2 min read
2

Simon Biles had to issue an "awkward" correction after ESPN miscounted the number of Olympic medals she had won.

In a now-deleted post shared to the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday, August 14, the official account for ESPN W, which highlights women’s sports, wrote: "Seven years ago today, Simone Biles won the women’s vault final in Rio. That night, Biles became the first U.S. female gymnast to win three gold medals at one Olympics."

To which Biles responded, "This is awkward … I won 4 ??."

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Shortly after, ESPN W corrected the error, later reposting the article alongside an updated caption which read, "Seven years ago today, Simone Biles won the women's vault final in Rio. That night, Biles became the first U.S. female gymnast to win three gold medals at one Olympics, and later added a fourth with a flawless floor routine!"

The media outlet later replied to the 26-year-old with the note, "Same page, ??."

Related: The Man She Flipped For: All About Simone Biles' Husband, Football Player Jonathan Owens

Biles received all four of her gold medals—three individual gold medals and one as part of the United States team–at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Biles withdrew from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics during the final individual all-around competition to prioritize her mental health.

She still walked away from the event with two medals, a bronze for balance beam and a silver team medal.

At the time, she was praised for her transparency and starting conversations about athletes and mental health. "We wholeheartedly support Simone's decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being," USA Gymnastics said in a statement. "Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many."

Earlier this year, she announced she would return to the sport for the U.S. Classic alongside fellow gymnastics superstars Sunisa Lee and Jade Carey. Just last week, she made her official comeback and celebrated with a victory.

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