Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast ever, was named 2019’s Team USA Female Olympic Athlete of the Year at a ceremony in Los Angeles, California, Today reports.
On Twitter, Team USA told fans to “give it up” for Biles, adding that she is “synonymous with making history, [and] synonymous with AMAZING us all, every time she competes.”
It’s a fitting end to Biles’ record-breaking year.
Synonymous with making history, synonymous with AMAZING us all every time she competes.
GIVE IT UP for the 2019 Female Olympic Athlete of the Year, @Simone_Biles!#TeamUSAAwards, Best of the Year presented by @DowNewsroom
pic.twitter.com/xcYqRDYhrn— Team USA (@TeamUSA) November 20, 2019
Blavity reports that she had two new moves named after her at this year's world championships. She did a triple-double which consists of a double backflip and two twists. Biles later completed a double-double dismount from the balance beam. The flips are now called Biles II and Biles, respectively. Her boyfriend notably cheered on her performance.
Biles also had the honor of throwing out the first pitch at the World Series between the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals. Before the pitch, she reminded the crowd of her skills with a twisting backflip.
In total, she is a four-time Olympic champion with 25 career world medals, WTKR reports.
Nathan Chen, a figure skater, won the male Olympic athlete of the year. The U.S. Women’s World Cup soccer team was named the Olympic team of the year.
The ceremony will air on NBC on December 22 at 2 p.m. ET, Today reports.
Shortly after being named Olympic athlete of the year, it was reported that Biles wasn't included in the USA Gymnastics' investigation of Larry Nassar until a year later, despite her concerns.
The new information was uncovered during a congressional testimony with the former director of the USA Gymnastics’ women’s program, Rhonda Faehn. She said she learned back in 2015 that Biles, along with Aly Raisman and Maggie Nichols, were uncomfortable during their appointments with Nassar.
Faehn claims she relayed the information to the former president of the organization, Steve Penny, who denies he was given Biles' name. Penny claims he was informed in mid-July of 2015 that Biles was someone he should speak to regarding Nassar.
After news broke, Biles and Raisman, expressed disappointment in the investigation on Twitter.
“Can’t tell you how hard this is to read and process. The pain is real and doesn’t just go away…especially when new facts are still coming out,” Biles wrote.