CLEVELAND (AP) — Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles says she’s struggling with the arrest of her brother who was charged in a shooting that left three dead.

She said in a tweet Monday that her heart aches for everyone involved, especially the victims and their families.

Authorities in Ohio say 24-year-old Tevin Biles-Thomas was arrested in Georgia last week after being indicted on murder, manslaughter and other charges in a New Year’s Eve party shooting.

Police in Cleveland say the shooting happened just before the end of 2018 when a group of men arrived uninvited to a party.

Three men were killed when gunfire broke out during a fight and two others were wounded.

Biles-Thomas is scheduled for arraignment in Cleveland on Sept. 13. No attorney is listed for him in court records.

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STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Simone Biles has already written her name into gymnastics history many times over. A few more times won’t hurt, though.

At the upcoming world championships in Germany, Biles can break the record for most medals won by any gymnast. More than that, she can write herself into the sport’s Code of Points forever.

Biles showed off her triple-twisting double-flip — the triple-double for short — when winning the U.S. title in August. If she lands it at worlds, it will go in the Code as “the Biles.” The same goes for her double-double beam dismount.

“Getting the skills named after me is really exciting, just to go out there and prove to myself that I can do them, especially under all of the pressure that will be there that night,” Biles said Tuesday. “I feel like putting my name on a skill is really rewarding just because it’ll be in the Code forever as well as the medals. It’s something that I can hold onto just because I’m the one that did it first, so it’s really exciting.”

Biles already has two skills in the Code, a floor exercise element from 2013 and a vault from last year’s world championships.

Biles goes to the championships tied with Russian Svetlana Khorkina for the most medals won by a woman with 20, and could also surpass Vitaly Scherbo’s record of 23 for the most medals by any gymnast.

It’s the last major championships before next year’s Olympics in Tokyo. With household names like track star Usain Bolt and swimming great Michael Phelps having retired since the last Olympics in Tokyo, she’ll be one of the Games’ undeniable standouts.

But she doesn’t want to think about that.

“I feel like if I were to label myself as a superstar, it would bring more expectations on me,” she said. “I would feel pressured, more in the limelight, rather than now. I just go out there and compete, try to represent Simone, not Simone Biles, whenever I go out there because at the end of the day I’m still a human being before I’m ‘Simone Biles the Superstar.'”

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On her journey to become the most decorated gymnast in the world, Simone Biles received an unexpected accolade.  During the world championships in Germany, the 22-year-old astonished the crowd with two jaw-dropping moves that will bear her name.

During her floor routine, she did a triple-double that included a double backflip and three twists. She then went to the balance beam and wowed the crowd with a double-double dismount.

Once the Federation of International Gymnastics approves it, will be official.

PHOTO: PR Photos

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STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Simone Biles won a record 21st medal at the world gymnastics championships on Tuesday as the United States retained its women’s team all-around title.

It was Biles’ 15th career gold and broke a tie with Russian gymnast Svetlana Khorkina for the most medals overall by a woman at the world championships. She’s now two short of Vitaly Scherbo’s all-time record of 23 among men or women.

“Every year it feels better and better just because we’re adding to the legacy,” Biles said. “I feel like I never think of records. I just go out there and do what I came to do, which is compete for the country.”

The U.S. team scored 172.330 points to beat second-place Russia by 5.801 points and win its seventh consecutive team title at an Olympics or world championships.

The reward for winning was a battery-powered medal that lights up when it senses movement. Biles called it “the sickest medal we’ve ever had.”

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Biles posted the best individual scores on the vault, balance beam and floor.

“I think if I do the routine that I did tonight I’ll be more than happy” in Thursday’s individual all-around final, she said.

A fall for Sunisa Lee on balance beam in her world championship debut and a fumbled routine from Grace McCallum on the uneven bars left the U.S. with room for improvement, though both were strong on other apparatus.

“It’s just so surreal to come out here and end up on top with the strength of the team that we have, even after having a couple falls out there,” Biles said.

Russia became the first team to get within six points of the U.S. since China at the 2015 world championships, something which pleased Russian gymnast Angelina Melnikova.

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“We’re happy that we got second because we can’t battle the Americans just yet, but today the gap was significantly lower than at the last few world championships,” Melnikova said.

Biles said other teams were “most definitely” closing in on the U.S.

“All of the teams have improved their difficulty over the last quad, and I think that’s really exciting to see the strength that they have.”

Italy ended its 69-year wait for a women’s team medal with bronze, as China failed to make the podium for the first time since the 2003 world championships.

China was fourth after a tough day for Liu Tingting, who fell twice on the uneven bars and again on the balance beam.

A fall on the beam mount by Italy’s last gymnast, Elisa Iorio, made for a tense finish but she recovered to score enough to stay ahead of China by 0.536 points.

It was a big recovery for Italy, which qualified in last place for the final.

“The goal for today was just to do better than qualification and how it goes, it goes,” Italian gymnast Giorgia Villa said through a translator.

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STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Everyone counts Simone Biles’ medals except Simone Biles.

Winning her 24th and 25th world championship medals in beam and floor Sunday put the United States gymnast top of the all-time medal charts for the championships.

Biles won five gold medals this week. If she can repeat that at next year’s Olympics it would be a feat no female gymnast has managed at a single Games.

But for Biles, it’s not about the statistics.

RELATED: Simone Biles Gets Two More Moves Named After Her

“I can’t be more thrilled with the performance that I put out at this world championships,” she said. The medal record? “I’m not a number person.”

Aged 22, she’s a hero to younger gymnasts who grew up watching her routines.

“I’m second in the world after Simone Biles, and she’s obviously so amazing. And to be second is super crazy,” the 16-year-old U.S. gymnast Sunisa Lee said after taking silver behind Biles in Sunday’s floor exercise. “I don’t know how she’s been doing this for so long.”

Biles’ 24th medal came on the beam, breaking a tie for 23 with Belarusian gymnast Vitaly Scherbo.

RELATED: Biles Sets Record As US Wins World Gymnastics Team Gold

Biles scored 15.066 after a near-flawless routine, opting for a simpler dismount than the double-double she performed earlier in the championships.

That dismount is a sore point for Biles, who introduced the double-double to competition this season and had the skill officially named after her at the worlds — there are four Biles skills now. She feels the International Gymnastics Federation didn’t reward it with a high enough difficulty rating.

“It’s not worth the one-tenth (extra difficulty point). I’m sorry, it’s just not,” she said.

When her score was announced, guaranteeing the medal record, Biles leaped up from her seat with a broad smile and punched the air.

“I was really excited. I thought it was going to be at least a 14.8, 14.9, but to see 15, I was like, ‘Well, that’s pretty crazy,’ so I was very proud,” she said.

RELATED: Biles Aims To Write More History At Gymnastics Worlds

China took silver and bronze with Liu Tingting on 14.433 and Li Shijia on 14.3, respectively.

Biles won the floor exercise by a full point, scoring 15.133 despite a step out of bounds on one pass, and blew kisses to the audience after finishing her routine. Her U.S. teammate Lee won silver, her third medal of the championships, while Angelina Melnikova took bronze for Russia.

Biles’ winning routine came after a long wait when Brazilian gymnast Flavia Saraiva requested an inquiry into her score, during which time Biles sat on the edge of the floor.

Her earlier gold medals came in the team event Tuesday, the individual all-around Thursday and the vault Saturday.

A fifth place on uneven bars Saturday ended Biles’ chances of winning a medal in all six events, which she did last year in her comeback world championships after a sabbatical in 2017.

The uneven bars are historically Biles’ weakest event, though she still won a world silver in 2018, and two-time world champion Nina Derwael of Belgium is the strongest contender to stop a gold-medal sweep by Biles and the U.S. women’s team at the Olympics.

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Biles hasn’t confirmed whether she’ll continue to compete after next year’s Olympics, so this week may have been her last at the world championships. Blowing kisses to the crowd wasn’t meant as a goodbye to the competition, she said.

“It’s just a good floor routine, farewell to just the end of this world championship chapter here in Stuttgart,” she said.

Of her 25 career world medals, 19 are gold, against 12 of 23 for Scherbo.

Earlier, Russia’s Nikita Nagornyy won the men’s vault for his third gold medal of the championships. He’s the first European man to win the vault since 2010.

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Nagornyy scored an average 14.966 from his two vaults, beating his friend and Russian teammate Artur Dalaloyan into second place. The bronze went to Ukraine’s Igor Radivilov.

The 38-year-old Romanian Marian Dragulescu, a four-time world champion, secured qualification for his fifth Olympics by placing fourth.

Britain won its second gold of the championships as Joe Fraser scored 15 points to win on parallel bars. Ahmet Önder was second for Turkey, with Japan’s Kazuma Kaya third. Max Whitlock won Britain’s first gold medal Saturday on pommel horse.

Arthur Mariano won gold for Brazil on the high bar, scoring 14.9 ahead of Tin Srbic for Croatia. Dalaloyan took the bronze to end the championships with four medals.

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STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Next stop Tokyo for Simone Biles.

With Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps both retired since the last Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the U.S. gymnast will be the face of the games for much of the world.

In gymnastics, no one else comes close. Biles won five of the six gold medals at last week’s world championships and broke the all-time record of 25 medals by any gymnast, male or female.

“She’s just above anything else that we have seen in the sport,” five-time Olympic gold medalist Nadia Comaneci said of Biles on Sunday, praising “the domination that she has toward all the other gymnasts that competed here.”

Biles has not just got the talent. She’s got the character of an Olympic star.

There’s the laser-like focus on training, the same easygoing humor which endeared the world to Bolt, and — crucially in the modern era — a savvy social-media style.

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said Sunday that Biles’ star status would make gymnastics a must-see event at the Tokyo Olympics.

“You can have legends confirming their status as we have just seen with Simone Biles, this amazing performance there on the beam, but you also have new stars,” he said. “Gymnastics has all the ingredients to be top another time, I must say. A top Olympic event in Tokyo.”

Despite its dispute with Biles over the scoring for her new double-double beam dismount — its grade was lessened in part so as not to encourage less-skilled gymnasts to attempt the risky move — the International Gymnastics Federation knows Biles is crucial to the sport.

Labeling her “wonder woman” and “a hero,” FIG president Morinari Watanabe is keen for Biles not to retire after the Tokyo Olympics. “I hope she will continue after 2020, because she is an excellent athlete,” he said Sunday.

Biles is certainly the only athlete who could pull off her look in training at the U.S. nationals in August. She caused a stir with a leotard bearing her surname and a goat’s head picked out in sequins, a nod to “Greatest Of All Time.”

Few disagree, but Biles hasn’t yet won everyone over.

“There’s no need to turn her into some unbeatable queen. If I was 15 years younger, I’d definitely take the fight to the American,” the Russian gymnast Svetlana Khorkina said in comments on the Russian Olympic Committee website Thursday.

Khorkina won 20 world championship medals between 1994 and 2001 and held the women’s record until Biles overtook her Tuesday.

One record is likely to remain out of Biles’ reach, however. Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina won a record 15 Olympic medals between 1956 and 1964. Biles won five Olympic medals in Rio de Janeiro, and could add six more next year in Tokyo, but appears highly unlikely to stick around until the 2024 Olympics.

However, there’s another record to aim for. Matching her world championship performance from last week would make Biles the first female gymnast to win five gold medals at a single Olympics, and the first female athlete to do so in any sport since East German swimmer Kristin Otto in 1988.

After Biles pioneered a new beam dismount and triple-double on the floor this season, her coach Laurent Landi says he favors refining her existing routines for the Olympics over adding yet more upgrades.

“I can find plenty of (upgrades), but you need to be realistic and only the medals count at the end,” he said. “We don’t need to show off everything we can do.”

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Simone Biles wants to bring gymnastics to the masses and plans to bring some of her friends along for the ride.

The Olympic and world champion is headlining a tour in the fall of 2020 that will be a mixture of sports and entertainment intended to inspire the next generation of female athletes. The “Gold Over America” tour will visit more than 35 cities, including Biles’ hometown of Houston as well as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

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A post shared by Simone Biles (@simonebiles) on Nov 16, 2019 at 4:51pm PST

The idea originated when Biles was in the early stages of her return to gymnastics in the fall of 2017 after taking a year off following her memorable performance at the 2016 Olympics, where she won four gold medals and five in all, becoming the face of her sport.

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“When we found out I was coming back, we kind of sat down and talked about things I would want to do,” Biles told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “They said it could be as small as starting a perfume line or maybe as big as a tour. I was like, ‘Actually, that would be pretty sweet. That would be the coolest thing ever.'”

The women-only roster will reunite Biles with longtime friend Katelyn Ohashi. Ohashi and Biles competed against each other growing up. Like Biles, Ohashi — the 2012 junior national champion — had designs on competing at the Olympics before injuries sidetracked her elite career. She instead attended UCLA, helping the Bruins win the national title in 2018 and becoming a viral sensation last winter with her Michael Jackson-themed floor routine.

“She made her mark,” Biles said. “She put college gymnastics and gymnastics … back on the map. She has impacted a lot of female gymnasts and I think this really brings us full circle.”

The tour will also finally allow Biles to join forces with former UCLA coach Val Kondos Field. Biles verbally committed to compete for the Bruins before turning professional in 2015. Kondos Field, who retired last spring, will serve as executive producer and supervising choreographer for the tour.

Biles said the goal is to bring the sport closer to the audience and also to loosen things up a bit. The plan is to utilize giant video screens, pyrotechnics and an in-house DJ.

“We want this to be completely different,” Biles said. “There will be dancing. Hopefully trampoline. Something people have never seen before.”

Biles captured five gold medals at the 2019 world championships to boost her career total to 25 medals overall, a record for both men and women. She is widely considered the greatest gymnast of all time and her face has been at the forefront of television promos for the 2020 Olympics, where she will try to become the first woman in more than 50 years to repeat as gymnastics champion.

While there are times she admits she’s still processing her fame, she’s is starting to understand her influence on the sport. It’s one of the reasons she agreed to headline the tour.

“In a way, it’s scary,” Biles said. “But at this point I also feel like it’s really exciting to have a platform that I do and to be able to do some of the things that I’ve been blessed with. I think it’s a combination of both. So I don’t know. We went back and forth on if we wanted my name in it, but you never know. I think it’ll be OK.”

USA Gymnastics typically coordinates a post-Olympic tour of its own, though there are no plans for one in 2020. The organization remains in bankruptcy court as it tries to reach a resolution with athletes who were sexually abused by former national team doctor Larry Nassar, who abused gymnasts — Biles included — under the guise of treatment.

Biles said she hasn’t spoken to anyone at USA Gymnastics directly about her tour but added, “I know they’re aware about it and they’ve been pretty supportive.”

“Simone is an amazing athlete and person, and having her own tour will give her a stage to showcase her skills and talent, as well as those of other women,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement.

Just how many athletes will join Biles and Ohashi remains uncertain.

“We’re looking at the top of the line and the best gymnasts from elite and maybe we did think from around the world, but that gets really, really difficult just because of the visas and all of that stuff,” Biles said. “Right now in the circle I know a couple of college gymnasts and then elite gymnasts (who will be on the tour), like world class.”

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Biles is in the midst of a recovery period following her record-breaking performance at the world championships. She said she anticipates returning to competition in April before the US Championships, the Olympic Trials and then the Olympics next summer. Then it’s likely off to retirement and a chance to make an impact far beyond the competition floor, a process that will start with the tour, where she will have her hand in selecting the group and helping put the show together.

“I feel like everyone’s creative vision coming together is very unique,” she said. “And so I think once we get together and we have a set plan on what we’ll do, it’ll be very exciting.”

PHOTO: AP

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Could it be over between iconic gymnast Simone Biles and her beau, fellow gymnast Stacey Ervin, Jr.?

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We’re wondering that after noticing posts featuring both parties on their respective social media pages have been few and far between over the last few months. And while Ervin still follows Biles on social media, she no longer follows him on Instagram.

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I got sinning on my mind

A post shared by Simone Biles (@simonebiles) on Mar 15, 2020 at 10:18am PDT

Last year, she posted about him pretty consistently (the largest gap would be a few weeks), but the last time she shared a photo with Ervin was on January 12. The two were at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in the image. That was also the last time he shared a photo of her.

Also, March 14 was the Olympic gold medalist’s birthday, and we know that USA Gymnastics tried to wish her a happy birthday and played themselves. However, fans noticed that Ervin had no birthday wishes to share for his long-standing #WCW. Instead, he shared video of himself working out in a deserted gym as coronavirus fears took over.

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Build that back & bicep peak! Swipe, & save for your next day at the gym. • 4×10 Wide Arm Lat Pulldown 3×8 Overhead Cable Curl 3×8 V Bar Seated Row 3×8 BB Underhand Row w/ Pause 3×8 Z Bar Slow Curl 3×6 Alternating ISO Hold Curl • #Biceps #Back #Workout #Motivation #IAm1stPhorm

A post shared by Stacey Ervin Jr. (@staceyervinjr) on Mar 14, 2020 at 12:34pm PDT

We’re hopeful things are copacetic between the pair, because we’re big fans of their love. Biles seemed at her happiest with Ervin, and that might have had something to do with him being her first boyfriend.

She also stated last fall, on his birthday, that he was “the man of my dreams.”
“So many things I love about you,” she wrote in October. “Your energy lights up an entire room. you’re a true gentleman and you always put others first! Your mindset, grit and your passion for greatness. 26 will be a great one! Never stop being you Stacey Ervin Jr. I love you.”

And the last heartfelt message he wrote for her was after their baecation together.

“To say I am grateful for you would be an understatement,” he wrote. “Spending the last week together in a tropical paradise was absolutely amazing. Truth be told, anywhere together is our paradise – even in the cold (although you hate the cold, & would probably say you want to leave ASAP while attempting to fit inside my jacket with me). I love you, & know I’ve got your back…through it all.”

The pair could have been taking a break as she competed and trained intensely for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which were officially postponed this week. We’ll have to wait and see if that’s all there is to it, but certainly, we ladies don’t unfollow a guy we’ve dated for more than two years for no reason.

Biles and Ervin have been dating since 2017. But aside from unfollowing him, she’s erased Ervin, Jr. from her social media. Even though the pic below was taken on a recent trip to Disney World, Ervin, Jr. has been downgraded to little bit of wrist.

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Disney Animal Kingdom

A post shared by Simone Biles (@simonebiles) on Jan 12, 2020 at 11:57am PST

This is all a stark contrast from the images they shared looking very much in love while vacationing together to Belize at the end of last year.

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It’s unclear where the two stand, but the 23-year-old star did share a cryptic tweet at the end of February.

it’s real when it hurts

— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) February 29, 2020

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It’s way past time to add Simone Biles to the Sports Mount Rushmore, which already includes Tom Brady, Michael Phelps, Serena Williams, and Michael Jordan or Lebron James (choose one).

The four-time Olympic champion has collected another gymnastic Infinity Stone claiming her 7th straight U.S. national title, the most of any American woman. The 24-year-old won with a two-day score of 119.650 score, claiming titles on the all-around, balance beam, vault, and floor exercise event. She scored nearly five more points than the runner-up Sunisa Lee. 

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“I feel like I did try to enjoy it because it could be one of my last championships that I’ll attend,” Biles told Olympics.com. “But it’s also the road to Tokyo, and after this we have trials, so we just have to really embrace the moment.”

Biles’ domination in the sport, which dates back to 2013 as a 16-year-old, is historic. She’s the most decorated American woman gymnast ever with 30 Olympic and World Championship medals in addition to her 7 national titles.

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For context, the most national titles any female gymnast held before Biles was Kim Zmeskal with 3 in the early 1990s. With the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympics coming in a few weeks the U.S. gymnastics team is in good hands with Biles in tow. They are entering the games as favorites to win their third straight gold.  

hard to put into words how I’m feeling but I still have more work to put in. Excited to have the opportunity to compete in Olympic Trials in a few weeks. thanks everyone for the endless support, it means the world to me XO

— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) June 7, 2021

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Simone Biles continues to make history!

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On Sunday, the 24-year-old gymnast won her seventh-straight all-around title at the 2021 U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Ft. Worth, Texas. With this seventh win, the athlete remains undefeated at the nationals since 2013. This now makes her the first American woman to win the title seven times!

According to @nbcsports, Simone has won every all-around competition she has entered dating back to 2013. She was previously tied with Clara Schroth Lomady, who won her titles between 1945 and 1952. Now she is tied with Alfred Jochim, for most wins by any American.

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Speaking about her latest achievement Biles said, “It’s really emotional, especially going into my second time doing an Olympic run,” Simone explained. “It’s really crazy, and I appreciate everyone that’s come out to watch and support us, especially after the year we’ve had.”

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Simone Biles Wins 7th National Championship! 

Did Simone Biles And Her Boyfriend Break Up?

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On Tuesday a judge dismissed the murder charges against Simone Biles’ brother, Tevin Biles-Thomas.

Following the ruling, a woman stood up and rushed toward Biles-Thomas, yelling “you have to be f—— kidding me.”

“I’m going to kill you,” she said.

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The Cuyahoga County Court confirmed in a statement that “a person in the gallery charged toward the defendant” after the ruling and thanked the sheriff’s department for its assistance.

The woman was identified as Johnson’s mother by Joseph Patituce, one of Biles-Thomas’ defense attorneys.

Pattituce said Synenberg’s ruling paid “incredible attention” to the evidence presented and that the state failed to prove its case, but understood the pain for the families who lost their loved ones.

COURTROOM CHAOS: The family of Tevin Biles-Thomas, the brother of Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, had an emotional reaction after he was acquitted of all counts for a New Year's Eve triple homicide. @DavidMuir reports. https://t.co/gmohlzuM8W pic.twitter.com/kiDyFBg0x2

— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) June 16, 2021

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Last month, an Ohio judge declared a mistrial in the murder case of the 26-year-old. According to The Associated Press, the move came after jurors received copies of legal briefs they were not supposed to see. The evidence included a motion discussing whether Tevin acted in self-defense when shot three people at a New Year’s Eve party in 2018.

An earlier report noted that Biles-Thomas was charged with multiple counts of murder, involuntary manslaughter, and felonious assault, along with one count of perjury for the fatal shooting at an Airbnb rental property that left three men dead and two others injured.

Simone Biles’ Brother Rushed by Victim’s Mother in Court After Murder Acquittal

It’s still unclear how evidence related to the case ended up in the jury’s hands, but defense attorneys for Biles-Thomas pushed for the charges to be dismissed.

Now, he is no longer charged with murder, the Associated Press reported.

Per MSN, Judge Joan Synenberg ruled Tuesday that prosecutors did not have enough of a case to sustain a conviction, according to WKYC.

Biles-Thomas was accused of killing DelVaunte Johnson, 19, Toshaun Banks, 21, and DeVaughn Gibson, 23, in the Dec. 31, 2018, house party shooting.

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A post shared by Simone Biles (@simonebiles)

Meanwhile, we previously reported that Simone Biles did not grow up with her brother, as she and three other siblings were placed into foster care when she was a toddler and they were ultimately raised by different relatives in separate states.

“My heart aches for everyone involved, especially for the victims and their families,” the four-time Olympic gold medalist said on Twitter days after her brother’s arrest. “There is nothing I can say that will heal anyone’s pain, but I do want to express my sincere condolences to everyone affected by this terrible tragedy,” she wrote.  “I ask everyone to please respect my family’s privacy as we deal with our pain. XO.”

Biles is currently preparing for the Tokyo Olympics this summer. She made history last month when she landed a Yurchenko double pike on the vault during her first competition in 18 months.

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Source: ATP/WENN.com / WENN

Another Olympic shocker: World-class champion Simone Biles was pulled from the team competition following a less-than-stellar performance on vault. The absence of Biles, considered by many to be the greatest gymnast of all time, puts the United States in a tough spot as Team Russia remains a fierce competitor in the fight toward gold.

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Biles’ vault ended with an off-balance landing, and she appeared to be in tears as she left the mat and exited the arena floor with a trainer from USA Gymnastics. She would later return, hands wrapped in preparation for the next discipline, but eventually changed back into her warmup outfit.

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NBC reports that Biles was dealing with a “mental issue” not a physical one.

The Games have been marred by last minute changes, protests and cries from the public to cancel the event all together as the pandemic remains a serious threat in Tokyo, a city still reeling from the effects of COVID-19.

Earlier this month, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love pulled out of playing with Team USA.

From WEWS News 5 Cleveland:

Love’s reasoning for the withdrawal is due to the fact he isn’t at a high enough level of performance to compete in the Olympics. Love did miss 47 games this year due to injuries, including many of those because of a calf injury suffered early in the season.

“I am incredibly disappointed to not be heading to Tokyo with Team USA, but you need to be at absolute peak performance to compete at the Olympic level and I am just not there yet,” Love said in a statement.

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Over the years, people with high profile occupations like athletes, musicians, and actors, have compromised their mental health at the expense of their craft. The idea that you have to power through filming a movie, performing at a concert, or competing in a game because people are depending on you, often causes you to compromise the time needed to rebuild your mental, physical and emotional stamina.

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When Naomi Osaka first told the world that she wouldn’t participate in the 2021 French Open, she was met with both praise and mockery. We rarely hear of athletes prioritizing their mental health, but this generation has made it clear that no competition is worth compromising their mental and emotional well being.

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Simone Biles is the latest athlete to throw in the towel and withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics. In a tweet from the USA Gymnastics, they gave Biles’ official statement.

“Simone Biles has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue. She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions.”

Official statement: "Simone Biles has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue. She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions."

Thinking of you, Simone! pic.twitter.com/QA1GYHwWTv

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) July 27, 2021

Although her official statement says she’s withdrawing for medical issues, others are saying it is more about preserving her emotional well-being. In another statement, Biles said that physically she feels well but emotionally things aren’t as steady.

“Physically, I feel good, I’m in shape. Emotionally, that kind of varies on the time and moment. Coming here to the Olympics and being the head star isn’t an easy feat, so we’re just trying to take it one day at a time and we’ll see.”

One of the most remarkable mixed zone press conferences I’ve known. In which Simone Biles described pulling out of tonight’s team event because she had to put her mental health first. Says she was inspired by Naomi Osaka among others #Olympics #ArtisticGymnastics pic.twitter.com/p3Rli5S7J0

— Ian Herbert (@ianherbs) July 27, 2021

In another tweet, an NBC commentator reported that according to a Team USA coach, Biles’ exit was less about an injury and more about an internal struggle she’s having.

A Team USA coach said that Simone Biles' exit from the gymnastics team event "is not injury related." Coach said it is a "mental issue she is having," per NBC broadcast.

— Al Butler (@ALaboutSports) July 27, 2021

Biles went on to say, “You have to be there 100%,” Biles told reporters after the meet. “If not, you get hurt. Today has been really stressful. I was shaking. I couldn’t nap. I have never felt like this going into a competition, and I tried to go out and have fun. But once I came out, I was like, ‘No. My mental is not there.’

We’ve been taught that throwing in the towel early is giving up. But when you make the conscious choice to prioritize your mental health, even if its in the middle of the Olympics, you’re winning more than you know. We support you, Simone!

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Defending Olympic champion Simone Biles will not be defending her All-Around title because she’s officially withdrawn from Thursday’s competition.

Related: Simone Biles Prioritizes Her Mental Health By Withdrawing From Team USA’s Final Competition In The Tokyo Olympics

The superstar gymnast withdrew from the upcoming all-around competition to focus on her mental well-being.

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This comes only a day after she removed herself from the team final, where she also cited mental health as the reason for the decision following the competition. The United States ended up with the silver medal.

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The USA Gymnastics said in a statement on Wednesday she is opting to not compete and they, “wholeheartedly support Simone’s decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many.”

The statement said Biles will be evaluated before deciding if she will participate in next week’s individual events, where she qualified for the final in four other events. Considered one of the faces of the Games n Tokyo, the amount of pressure on her shoulders is heavy. She even posted on social media Monday that “she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders.”

Following Tuesdays ceremony, she told reporters, “Once I came out here, I was like, ‘No, mental is not there, so I just need to let the girls do it and focus on myself.'”

The 24-year-old Texas native will be replaced by Jade Carey, who finished ninth in qualifying. According to ESPN, “the 21-year-old from Phoenix spent two years traveling the globe in an effort to pile up enough points on the World Cup circuit to earn an individual nominative spot, meaning she would be in the Olympics but technically not be part of the four-woman U.S. team. Now she finds her self on the biggest stage in the world, while also trying to replace one of the greatest athletes of all time in the sport.

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Staying up-to-date on the latest in pop culture news can feel like a job in itself, but thankfully we have the boss lady Georgia Alfredas to do it for you while it’s still steaming in the press for the Russ Par Morning Show.

For the latest “Hot Off The Wire with Alfredas” recap, we’ve got Bieber showing support to Biles, Boosie’s backlash for defending DaBaby and a hurtful rumor about Lizzo that she was able to turn into a bit of comedy.

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We’ll let you get the full run of headlines via the video below, but let’s get into the Lizzo situation for a bit. There’s been an ongoing rumor regarding the award-winning pop star that alludes to her actually killing someone due to stage-diving, and we’re here to tell you it’s absolutely not true or funny in the first place.

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Not only is it 100% not true, but Lizzo even demonstrated how it virtually was just impossible. See below for the facts delivered by Lizzo herself:

stop playing with lizzo LMFAOOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/yfE9v2vo6y

— IT GIRL. (@bomblai) July 27, 2021

We’re just glad Lizzo is meeting the negativity with some of that signature comedy she’s known for.

Watch the full “Hot Off The Wire with Alfredas” report via the Russ Parr Morning Show below:

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Candace Owens has suggested Simone Biles is a coward for pulling out of the Olympics.

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As we previously reported, Biles withdrew from Thursday’s individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Games to focus on her mental well-being. The announcement came a day after she stumbled on the vault and pulled out of Tuesday’s team final.

“After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games, in order to focus on her mental health,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement on Wednesday. “We wholeheartedly support Simone’s decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many.”

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“Physically, I feel good, I’m in shape,” Biles told “Today’s” Hoda Kotb about her decision. “Emotionally, that kind of varies on the time and moment. Coming to the Olympics and being head star isn’t an easy feat, so we’re just trying to take it one day at a time and we’ll see.”

Owens commented on a tweet by The Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon, who criticized Simone’s decision to pull out of the summer games in Tokyo. His tweet read, “Simone Biles just said sitting out the big competitions shows how strong you really are. That’s like saying soldiers who run away from battle are courageous. Cowardice is not courage; weakness is not strength. Great athletes understand this.”

Owens sarcastically fired back with, “Doing nothing is courage. Anyone who disagrees is a white supremacist. Welcome to 2021.”

Doing nothing is courage.
Anyone who disagrees is a white supremacist.

Welcome to 2021. https://t.co/xrwjXCKfVL

— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) July 28, 2021

Per Ace Showbiz, Candace caught heat for her comment. “All of you have such bad takes on this,” said one person who came to Simone’s defense. “This is not basketball. This is not softball. YOU CAN DIE in this sport. You apparently did not do it and cannot relate. When you get in your head you get hurt. Fear gets you hurt and it comes out of nowhere sometimes.”

Another Twitter user called Candace “vile,” writing, “People who attack Simone for making a personal decision are vile.” Someone else added, “I’m always so confused by you. I mean, you are articulate – or maybe that’s just fluency because most of what you say is so nonsensical. Simone Biles chose to prioritize her mental health – how are you bothered by that. In 2021?”

At the time of the post, Simone has not responded to Candace’s comments.

“My pride is hurt a little bit,” Biles told reporters Tuesday after she pulled out of the Olympics. “After the (vault) performance that I did (on Monday), I didn’t want to go into the other events so I thought I would take a step back.” She added, “I have to focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health and well-being.”

She later admitted in an interview with “Today” that she is “super frustrated of how the night played out, but super proud of these girls that stepped up and did what they needed to do and now we’re Olympic silver medalists, so it’s something that we’ll cherish forever.” She also assured that “physically, I feel good, I’m in shape.”

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SNL actor Michael Che currently had to wipe his entire Instagram clean. No, he wasn’t “starting fresh” as a form of social media detox; he just became the latest of many celebrities to get canceled for saying and/or doing something completely out of pocket.

His “cancel culture” moment has been happening all weekend long following jokes he made at the expense of Simone Biles and her highly-publicized sexual abuse by former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. However, in an era where crude humor is highly favored — ever heard of Def Comedy Jam in the ’90s or Rick & Morty today? — was Che wrong for his actions or is it that we all simply can’t take a joke?

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For reference, Che posted a handful of messages on Thursday (July 29) about Biles, joking that he wanted to “make fun” of her after some of the public scrutiny she’s been facing for withdrawing from the Tokyo Olympics to focus on mental health. From there, the Saturday Night Live comedian began sharing very offensive jokes at Biles expense on his IG Stories that followers sent to him via DM as he rated them on a scale of 1 to 10.

More on the backstory via Newsweek:

“His first story read: ‘man, I wanna make fun of Simone Biles.’

He continued: ‘I got like 3 mins of Simone Biles jokes in my head. Im going to the cellar tonight to say them into a microphone. As the dorky kids say I’m choosing violence.’

He then received a number of responses, which he reposted on Instagram stories.

One of the responses included a joke about Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics doctor convicted of sexually abusing hundreds of girls and women.

Che rated this joke a 9/10, before rating a racist joke about Biles as 8/10.”

And just like that, she’s back. After making national headlines for pulling out of her remaining events in the Tokyo Games, Simone Biles, ranked by many as the greatest gymnast of all time, will return to compete in the artistic balance beam final.

RELATED: Candace Owens Mocks Simone Biles for Pulling Out of Olympics to Focus on Mental Health

The news arrived Monday (August 2) via the official Twitter account of the USA Gymnastics team.

“We are so excited to confirm that you will see two U.S. athletes in the balance beam final tomorrow – Suni Lee AND Simone Biles!! Can’t wait to watch you both,” USAG wrote.

We are so excited to confirm that you will see two U.S. athletes in the balance beam final tomorrow – Suni Lee AND Simone Biles!! Can’t wait to watch you both!

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) August 2, 2021

Biles’ return to the competition comes as a shock to many: Just last week, officials said she would pull out of the remaining events “in order to focus on her mental health.” On July 31, Biles withdrew from the vault and uneven bars finals. Then the following day, she did not compete in the floor final, her fourth consecutive exit.

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“Simone has withdrawn from the event final for floor and will make a decision on beam later this week. Either way, we’re all behind you, Simone,” USAG said in a statement.

The star gymnast echoed those sentiments, telling cameras it was a difficult decision to step away at such a critical point in her athletic career, but it was even more important to make self-care a priority.

One of the most remarkable mixed zone press conferences I’ve known. In which Simone Biles described pulling out of tonight’s team event because she had to put her mental health first. Says she was inspired by Naomi Osaka among others #Olympics #ArtisticGymnastics pic.twitter.com/p3Rli5S7J0

— Ian Herbert (@ianherbs) July 27, 2021

“There is more to life than just gymnastics,” Biles said last week. “It is very unfortunate that it has to happen at this stage, because I definitely wanted this Olympics to go a little bit better, but again, take it one day at a time. We’re gonna see how the rest goes.”

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Simone Biles’ time in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics has been a trying one. She withdrew from the women’s team competition due to mental health struggles and was criticized publicly and harshly for it. Biles then had a case of the “twisties,” where she would lose control of her body while performing an acrobatic move and not know how she was going to land. She recently revealed that she has also suffered a death in her family. 

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The 24-year-old said she suffered another blow when she learned that her paternal aunt died earlier this week.

“At the end of the day, people don’t understand what we are going through,” Biles said during a news conference. “Two days ago, I woke up and my aunt unexpectedly passed, and it wasn’t any easier being here at the Olympic Games.”

Despite the hurdles she had to overcome during the Olympics, she has re-entered the games and won a bronze medal in the balance beam finals. The win helped her secure her seventh Olympic medal.

Biles said that even though the Olympics was an emotional rollercoaster for her, the conversation that was started around mental health is important.

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“Definitely bringing a light to the conversation of mental health, it’s something that people go through a lot that is kind of pushed under the rug,” she said. “I feel like we’re not just entertainment, we’re humans, as well, and we have feelings.”

Now that she is headed home, Biles shared on social media that she isn’t leaving with any regrets after going through the ups and downs of this experience.

“Not at all how I imagined or dreamed my second Olympics would go but blessed to represent the USA,” she wrote on Instagram. “I’ll forever cherish this unique Olympic experience. Thanks, everyone for the endless love and support. I’m truly grateful.”

She added that “leaving Tokyo with 2 more Olympic medals to add to my collection isn’t too shabby!”

This article was originally posted on Bossip.com.

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Four-year-old Verity Ofori-Kuragu was honored with the ‘Gymnast of the Week” in her gymnastics class and decided to dedicated it to her idol, Simone Biles.

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After a year of experiencing both career highs and personal lows, Olympic medalist Simone Biles has shown the world a strength that truly sets her apart from many in the realm of sports.

TIME Magazine recognized that excellence and all she had to overcome in 2021 by bestowing Biles with the prestigious honor as “Athlete Of The Year.”

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The decision sparked some controversy on social media due to the well-known fact that Biles didn’t even perform in the Tokyo Olympics this past summer, instead opting out to focus on mental health after experiencing a condition described as the “Twisties” that causes mid-air disorientation for gymnasts.

One of the most remarkable mixed zone press conferences I’ve known. In which Simone Biles described pulling out of tonight’s team event because she had to put her mental health first. Says she was inspired by Naomi Osaka among others #Olympics #ArtisticGymnastics pic.twitter.com/p3Rli5S7J0

— Ian Herbert (@ianherbs) July 27, 2021

Take a look below at a clip from Simone’s TIME Athlete Of The Year profile that describes how her own team reacted to the sudden withdrawal:

“For her teammates, her withdrawal from events was a decision they didn’t have time to process as they scrambled to fill her position in the lineups. ‘We all knew we had to continue not without her, but for her,’ says Sunisa Lee, who stepped up to win the all-around gold in Tokyo. ‘What Simone did changed the way we view our well-being, 100%. It showed us that we are more than the sport, that we are human beings who also can have days that are hard. It really humanized us.'”

There also was her powerful testimony from back in September when she and other victims of sexual abuse at the hands of Larry Nassar stood before the Senate Judiciary Committee and slammed multiple official gymnastics organizations for failing to do their jobs and allowing the abuse to go on for as long as it did.

Biles came forward with her own story of sexual abuse by Nassar back in January 2018, finally closing that chapter this year with a bravery that further asserts her GOAT status.

Feelings… #MeToo pic.twitter.com/ICiu0FCa0n

— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) January 15, 2018

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Do you see this as a deserved honor or did another sports star make a better example this year? Let us know after reading her full cover story over on TIME, and check out Simone Biles gracing the cover as Athlete Of The Year below:

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A post shared by TIME (@time)

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One thing you can always count on for Valentine’s Day is an engagement announcement, and we’re thrilled to share that 24-year-old Olympic medalist Simone Biles is getting married to her boyfriend, 26-year-old Houston Texans safety Jonathan Owens.

WOKE UP A FIANCÉE

I can’t wait to spend forever & ever with you, you’re everything I dreamed of and more! let’s get married! @jjowens_3 pic.twitter.com/BcrWvhEE38

— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) February 15, 2022

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The fan-favorite gymnast excitedly revealed the news earlier this morning on Twitter (seen above), writing in all caps, “WOKE UP A FIANCÉE.” Her message continued as a heartfelt public declaration to Owens, adding in her post, “I can’t wait to spend forever & ever with you, you’re everything I dreamed of and more! let’s get married!” Her soon-to-be-hubby seemed just as excited to make an honest woman out of Biles, jumping on his Instagram to write a similar message (“Woke up this morning with a fiancée”) and add a few more photos from their engagement shoot. The ring, a truly iced-out work of art, was done by popular jeweler ZoFrost based out of Houston, where the engagement itself seems to have also taken place after the pair had a seemingly nice Valentine’s Day weekend together that even included a visit to a funhouse.

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The future Mr. & Mrs. Owens originally began dating in August 2020 after she made things Instagram official by posted their first couple flick together, adding the sweet-yet-simple caption “it’s just us.” They’ve been pretty inseparable ever since.

Although it took them just 80 weeks in social media time to figure out this was a forever thing, we wish them nothing but the best as they plan the rest of their lives together. Congratulations to Simone & Jonathan!

Revisit where it all began below, and we’ll stay tuned for details of their nuptials:

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A post shared by Simone Biles (@simonebiles)

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Source: BreAnna Holmes / Radio One Digital

From Ancient Greece to the modern-day Olympics, gymnastics has changed in equipment, techniques and style. Along with the sports’ standard enhancements, today’s spectators have seen the evolution of talent with some of the most decorated African American gymnasts to perform. Those watching now would say, hands down, Simone Biles takes the cake as the best. But the first Black female ever to win an individual Olympic medal in the sport was Dominique Dawes.

How It started

Dawes was a force to be reckoned with in gymnastics. Her flawless routines earned her four Olympic medals and 15 national championships in her career. In 1988 Dawes became the first African American to make the national women’s team. Then she joined the 1992 U.S. Olympic team, which won bronze in Barcelona.

Later in 1994, Dawes was at the peak of her game. She earned first place in every competition category at the 1994 national championship event. Then in 1996, Dawes made a name for herself. At the Atlanta Olympics, “Awesome Dawesome” literally made history again. Dawes won an individual bronze medal in the floor exercises—the first African American to earn an individual Olympic medal in women’s gymnastics. She held the honor of being the first black woman to dominate the sport for others to follow.

“I just have to say Simone Biles is truly my little hero; she is amazing… And I would never think that a female or a male gymnast would be doing the spectacular gymnastics that she is doing today.” – Dawes (The Undefeated; 2016)

How It’s Going

I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps – I’m the first Simone Biles.”

The world first took note of Biles in 2013. At just 16-years-old she won two World Championship gold medals, followed by four Worlds golds in 2014 and another four in 2015.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Biles had reached supreme levels. She won gold in the all-around, team, vault and floor, and bronze on the beam.

Five years later, at the Tokyo Olympics, Biles was heroically applauded for her strength, but it wasn’t for a floor routine, vault or the uneven bars. Biles put her mental health first. She withdrew from the women’s team finals and all individual finals except one event to focus on her mental well-being.

Unquestionably, she’s the GOAT; more importantly, she’s human.

“I say put mental health first because if you don’t then you’re not going to enjoy your sport and you’re not going to succeed as much as you want to,” Biles said. “So it’s OK sometimes to sit out the big competitions to focus on yourself.”

Still, Biles finished with an individual bronze medal on the balance beam and silver with her team. In her career, she’s earned seven gold medals, which ties the record for the most Olympic medals won by a U.S. gymnast. Biles, however, is the most decorated gymnast in world championships history.

Forget the gold medals, GIVE THIS WOMAN A CROWN @Simone_Biles makes history (again) as the first woman to land a triple double in competition on floor! pic.twitter.com/TazpPJx41W

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) August 12, 2019

Passing the torch

Both Dawes and Biles are in an exclusive legendary category of Olympians of their time.

Their dominance in the sport will live on for the next young black gymnast to come. Dawes, 2012 Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas and Biles showed there is a lane for African American women in gymnastics.

Now a mom of four, Dawes has opened her gym in Maryland. According to her website, she focuses on helping kids become better gymnasts and people. As for Biles, the Texan is hesitant to say if the 2020 Olympics was her finale. In an interview with NBC’s TODAY, Biles said that she’s not deciding her Olympic future just yet. Biles said she’s “leaving the door open” for a potential return in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

SEE ALSO: The History of Black Women in Gymnastics

All Hail: The Black Olympians That Made History In Rio

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The deplorable sexual abuse that Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and many, many other gymnasts like her went through at the hands of former team doctor Larry Nassar shocked the world when she first went public as a survivor back in 2018.

Biles followed up with even more claims of abuse last year before Congress, this time in the form of negligence on behalf of the FBI and USA Gymnastics officials. Now, her and over 90 other gymnasts who say the feds turned a blind eye to Nassar’s sexual abuse are officially ready to take their fight to court.

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CNN reports that attorneys for the girls hit the FBI with punitive damages that total over $1 billion. They believe investigators in the case could have saved countless victims from the hands of Nassar had they acted sooner and not mishandled everything. Biles is joined in the claim by fellow Olympic gymnasts Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney, plus world championship medalist Maggie Nichols. All four are requesting $50 million each.

More in the forthcoming legal proceedings below, via CNN:

“Gymnasts Kaylee Lorincz and Hannah Morrow are each asking for $42.5 million, the attorneys said. Lawyers say most of the 90 women are asking for $10 million each; in total, the sum would be in the $1 billion to $1.2 billion range.

CNN contacted the Department of Justice, which oversees the FBI, and officials there declined to comment.

Under the Federal Tort Claims Act, claimants are required to give notice to the federal agency before a lawsuit is filed in federal court. The agency then has six months to either reach a settlement or deny the claim before the lawsuit can be brought.

In the notice of the Federal Tort Act claims, attorneys say the FBI had credible complaints from numerous victims by July 2015 — but neglected to interview them or properly investigate the abuse.”

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According to the claim, just one year of neglect by the FBI in this case was enough for Nassar to abuse a jaw-dropping number of young girls, with the docs stating, “FBI officials, who possessed this knowledge and were in a position to end Nassar’s predation, were grossly derelict in their duties resulting in Nassar sexually assaulting approximately 100 young women and children between July 28, 2015 and September 12, 2016, and conspired with the highest-ranking officials within the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and USA Gymnastics, Inc to conceal this known sexual abuse from foreseeable victims.”

Nassar is currently serving a 60-year sentence on child porn charges, in addition to a 40-to-175 year state prison sentence in Michigan stemming from seven counts of criminal sexual conduct. That may give his victims some form of comfort, but it’ll never heal the emotional scars that man left them to live with. For that reason alone, we hope Biles and every girl that’s suing comes out victorious.

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A post shared by Simone Biles (@simonebiles)

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Over the past 25 years and counting, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter has evolved from an aspiring teenage vocalist of a ’90s R&B quartet, which infamously became a trio, into arguably the biggest solo artist in modern day music.

Adding to the seemingly endless list of accolades she’s received over the years so far, King Bey will soon be honored with an induction into the Guinness World Records Hall Of Fame based on her history-making career as, in her words, “the number one diva in this game for a minute.”

.@Beyonce will be inducted in the Guinness World Records Hall of Fame as the "Queen of Femme Pop" following their 2022 issue. pic.twitter.com/lr04qtpk4z

— Beyoncé Awards (@YonceAward) September 16, 2022

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The Guinness World Records, which have been tallied since August 1955, are the authority on keeping track of exceptional human achievements that oftentimes defy what we believe to be impossible. Beyoncé herself has broken more than a handful of records in various categories, which led the powers that be at Guinness to bestow her with the Hall Of Fame title as “Queen of Femme Pop.”

Take a look below at the list of world records to Bey’s credit:

• Most BET Awards nominations for an individual
• Most wins at the MTV Video Music Awards
• Most BET Awards won by an individual
• Most Grammy awards won by a female artist
• Most Grammy awards won by a married couple
• First female artists to win best Rap Performance at the Grammys
• Most Grammy awards won by a vocalist
• Most Grammy nominations for Record of the Year
• Most Grammy nominations for a female artist
• Highest-grossing music tour by a duo (current year)
• Most MTV Video Music Award nominations for video of the year
• Most current Twitter engagements (average retweets) for a female musician
• Best-selling single (Spain)
• First act to debut at No. 1 with their first six studio albums (USA)
• First artist-owned music streaming service
• Highest earning couple in Hollywood ever
• Highest annual earnings for a female singer
• Highest-ranked female musician in Forbes’ “Celebrity 100” list
• Most Grammy awards won in a single year by a female artist
• Most Grammy nominations in a single year for a female artist

Although she’s one of a select few HoFers, the “Crazy In Love” pop icon isn’t alone in the least bit when it comes to Black entertainers who’ve achieved a Guinness World Records title in general. Ironically enough, not all awards are for the artist’s actual music — some might even throw you for a loop!

Source: Tim Mosenfelder / Getty

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As a way to show respect to the melanated wonders of the world, we took a look at a few famous Guinness World Record holders from the culture that achieved rare feats and made our people proud.

Keep scrolling for a look at 9 Black celebrities who hold Guinness World Records that might actually surprise you:

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1. Snoop Dogg – Largest Paradise Cocktail

Source:Getty

Taking the term “Gin & Juice” to a whole different level!

2. RuPaul – Most Emmy Wins For A Reality / Competition Show Host

Source:Getty

You better work, Ru!

3. Serena Williams – Oldest Female Tennis Grand Slam Singles Winner

Source:Getty

Now this is a feat worthy of retiring on.

4. Chadwick Boseman – Most Liked Tweet On Twitter

pic.twitter.com/aZ2JzDf5ai

— Chadwick Boseman (@chadwickboseman) August 29, 2020

We will never forget you, king!

5. Simone Biles – Most Medals Won At The World Artistic Gymnastics Championships

Source:Getty

…..and she’s only 25 years old!

6. Stevie Wonder – Most GRAMMYs Ever Won By A Solo Pop Performer

Source:Getty

When you’ve been making soul hits since the ’60s, decades of accolades are sure to be expected.

7. Kobe Bryant – Youngest NBA Player To Start A Game

Source:Getty

Being that it’s now illegal for players to enter the NBA straight out of high school, this is a record the late Black Mamba will more than likely carry on eternally. 

8. Pelé – Most FIFA World Cup Wins By A Player

Source:Getty

The Afro-Brazilian soccer icon is long retired, but his name is still revered on the field to this day.

9. Oprah Winfrey – Largest TV Contract Ever

Source:Getty

Of course Big O is a record-breaker! We couldn’t think of a more accomplished individual with a decorated career acumen like the queen of all media.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner declared Nov. 27 Simone Biles Day and presented her with a declaration and a key to the city.

Biles is the most decorated American gymnast in history.

Earlier this month, she won four gold medals at the World Championships in Qatar, becoming the first American to win a medal in every event at Worlds.

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The post Houston Mayor Declares November 27 Simone Biles Day! appeared first on Black America Web.

Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles is opening up for the first time publicly about how she’s coping with having to relive the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.

“I’m on anxiety medicine now because I had a lot of ups and downs throughout the year and trying to figure out what was wrong,” Biles said Tuesday on “Good Morning America.” “I go to therapy pretty regularly.”

“It’s not easy but the people surrounding me are some of the best so it makes it a little easier,” she added.

In January, Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison for sexually abusing over 150 gymnasts — including Biles, 21.  In January, she wrote about Nassar in a letter on Twitter.

“I too am one of the many survivors that was sexually abused by Larry Nassar,” said the athlete. “Please believe me when I say it was a lot harder to first speak those words out loud than it is now to put them on paper. There are many reasons that I have been reluctant to share my story, but I know now it is not my fault.”

Continued Biles, “For too long I’ve asked myself, ‘Was I too naive? Was it my fault?’ I now know the answers to those questions. No. No, it was not my fault. No, I will not and should not carry the guilt that belongs to Larry Nassar, USAG, and others.”

The four-time Olympic gold medalist made history recently when she became the first female gymnast to win four World Championships. She also graces the cover of ESPN The Magazine’s blockbuster year-end issue.

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(AP Photo)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The mix of rage, disappointment and grief are still there. Just under the surface.

And while Simone Biles tries to stay focused on the healing process more than 18 months after the Olympic gymnastics champion revealed she was among the hundreds of athletes abused by disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar, there are times when the massive systemic breakdown that allowed Nassar’s behavior to run unchecked for years becomes too much.

“It hits you like a train wreck,” Biles said Wednesday as she prepared for the U.S. championships.

One that leaves the greatest gymnast of her generation and the face of the U.S. Olympic movement ahead of the 2020 Games in a difficult spot.

She still loves competing, pushing herself and the boundaries of her sport in the process.

And yet the 22-year-old still finds herself working under the banner of USA Gymnastics and by extension the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. Both organizations were called out by Congress along with the FBI last week in a scathing report that detailed a series of catastrophic missteps that allowed Nassar — a longtime trainer with USA Gymnastics as well as Michigan State University — to continue to abuse patients even after athletes started questioning his methods in the summer of 2015.

RELATED: “I [Slept] All The Time Because It’s The Closest Thing To Death:” Simone Biles Explains How She Coped With Sexual Abuse

While Nassar is now behind bars for the rest of his life and USA Gymnastics has undergone a massive overhaul in leadership since the 2016 Olympics as it fights to retain its status as the sport’s national governing body, the scars remain fresh for Biles, though she knows that doesn’t make her different from the other women who were abused by Nassar under the guise of treatment.

“I don’t mean to cry,” the typically poised Biles said through tears two days before attempting to win her sixth national title. “But it’s hard coming here for an organization having had them failed us so many times. And we had one goal and we’ve done everything that they’ve asked us for, even when we didn’t want to and they couldn’t do one damn job. You had one job. You literally had one job and you couldn’t protect us.”

Biles is in therapy to help deal with the emotional fallout, well aware that progress will be slow and that a full recovery might not be possible.

“Everyone’s healing process is different and I think that’s the hardest part,” she said. “Because I feel like maybe I should be healed or this or that. But I feel like it will be an open wound for a really long time and it might not ever get closed or healed.”

So Biles is doing what she can, trying to find a balance between her pursuit to become the first woman in more than 50 years to repeat as Olympic champion while using her status as the face of her sport to effect change.

“When we tweet, it obviously goes a long way,” she said. “We’re blessed to be given a platform so that people will hear and listen. But you know, it’s not easy coming back to the sport. Coming back to the organization that has failed you. But you know, at this point, I just try to think, ‘I’m here as a professional athlete with my club team and stuff like that.’ Because it’s not easy being out here. I feel every day is a reminder of what I went through and what I’ve been through and what I’m going through and how I’ve come out of it.”

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The process in some ways is getting easier. There were days early in her return to training in the fall and winter of 2017 and early 2018 when she would quit in the middle of practice and walk out of the gym without a word to coaches Cecile and Laurent Landi as to why.

Those days are gone. Biles says therapy has helped her rediscover her joy for the sport she is redefining at every meet.

Still, the effects of her experience with Nassar, combined with the inability of USA Gymnastics, the USOPC and the FBI to act decisively when athletes alerted them about his conduct, linger. She can feel it when she is introduced to a new staff member at USA Gymnastics and sense it in her reluctance to meet with trainers after practice.

“How can we trust them?” Biles said. “They bring in new people all the time and I automatically put my foot up because the people that I had known for years had failed us.”

Asked if she’s optimistic that USA Gymnastics — which is on its fourth president and CEO since March 2017 and filed for bankruptcy last fall in an effort to halt the decertification process — can find a way forward, Biles shrugged.

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Yes, the organization has taken several steps in addressing what it acknowledges was a toxic culture that played a role in Nassar hiding in plain sight, including updating its Safe Sport policy to provide better protection for athletes and clearer guidelines for coaches, parents, trainers and club owners on what constitutes abuse.

Yet Biles is wary. She has watched for the last three years as every step forward by USA Gymnastics is met with a step backward. Biles is intent on making sure she leaves gymnastics in a better place. She hopes the organization she competes for is sincere in its attempts to do the same.

For now, she doesn’t sound convinced.

“All we can do at this point is have faith that they’ll have our backs, they’ll do the right thing,” she said. “But at the end of the day it’s just a ticking time bomb. We’ll see. It’s a waiting game.”

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The post Biles On USA Gymnastics’ Failures: ‘You Couldn’t Protect Us’ appeared first on Black America Web.

The news that the brother of Olympian Simone Biles was arrested for a triple murder in Cleveland shocked many people, but perhaps no one was shocked more than the gold medalist gymnast herself.

Tevin Biles-Thomas, who is enlisted in the Army, was taken into custody at Fort Stewart in Georgia on Thursday over his alleged role in a shooting at a New Year’s Eve party there last year. According to Cleveland.com, the 24-year-old man was charged with multiple counts of murder, voluntary manslaughter and felonious assault and one count of perjury. In addition to the shooting deaths, two other people were injured in the shooting that took place at an Airbnb rental.

Source: Liberty County Sheriff’s Office

A few hours after the news of the arrest broke, Biles, who was apparently not connected to any aspect of the shooting, took to Twitter to post a cryptic tweet that left many of her fans trying to decode it.

“[E]ating my feelings don’t talk to me,” she tweeted Thursday night.

Obviously, that sentiment could be referring to anything. But Biles’ Twitter followers seemed to offer her come cyber-understanding and sympathy without directly addressing the arrest of her brother.

Cleveland.com said it reached out to Biles for comment but the 22-year-old did not immediately respond.

While Tevin Biles-Thomas was being reported as the gymnastics star’s brother, her Team USA web page failed to mention him when listing her family members. It only lists Biles as having “two brothers, Ronald and Adam, and one sister, Adria.” According to Biography.com, Biles “and her sister, Adria, were raised by their grandfather Ron and grandmother Nellie, after their mother’s struggle with substance abuse problem. Ron and Nellie eventually officially adopted the two girls, and Biles calls her grandmother ‘Mom.’”

Before the arrest, Biles was enjoying a historic run of high-level competition in the past year. Most recently, she won the all-around gold medal during Women’s Senior competition at the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships on Aug. 11.

Prior to that, she also took home the gold at the Artistic FIG Gymnastics World Championships last November. Most recently she announced last week that she was going to teach a gymnastics class. 

The young gymnastics veteran was expected to be leading Team USA in next year’s summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Tevin Biles-Thomas was being held without bail and was scheduled to be arraigned in Cleveland on Sept. 13.

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The post Simone Biles Posts Cryptic Tweet After Brother Arrested For Triple Murder appeared first on Black America Web.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles says she’s struggling with the arrest of her brother who was charged in a shooting that left three dead.

She said in a tweet Monday that her heart aches for everyone involved, especially the victims and their families.

Authorities in Ohio say 24-year-old Tevin Biles-Thomas was arrested in Georgia last week after being indicted on murder, manslaughter and other charges in a New Year’s Eve party shooting.

Police in Cleveland say the shooting happened just before the end of 2018 when a group of men arrived uninvited to a party.

Three men were killed when gunfire broke out during a fight and two others were wounded.

Biles-Thomas is scheduled for arraignment in Cleveland on Sept. 13. No attorney is listed for him in court records.

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The post Simone Biles ‘Aches’ For Victims After Brother Charged appeared first on Black America Web.