Sports
Bizarre encounter: flight attendant thinks gymnastics star Simone Biles is a child – and offers her a coloring book
Simone Biles has already won four Olympic gold medals
© Mike Egerton/PA Wire / DPA
Simone Biles is a tall athlete but is only 1.42 meters tall. A flight attendant therefore thought she was a child – the gymnast took it with humor.
At 1.42 meters, Simone Biles is not necessarily a sign of what she has already achieved: The 25-year-old is considered one of the best gymnasts of all time. She won seven medals in two Olympic games, four of them gold. The American is the queen of her sport – and yet is not immediately recognized everywhere.
On an airplane, Biles was even mistaken for a child because of her small stature. A flight attendant offered her a coloring book when she boarded, the gymnast said in her Instagram story. But Biles reacted confidently: “No, it’s fine, I’m 25.” At least the crew quickly made amends. “The other flight attendant brought me a drink so we’re even,” Biles continued to comment on Instagram. However, she was again asked if she was old enough to drink alcohol.
Simone Biles honored with the Medal of Freedom
Approaching the world’s most accomplished gymnast as a child seems odd enough, but the incident is all the more unusual given that Simone Biles has just received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States. Biles may have been en route from the Medal of Freedom Ceremony in Washington to her native Texas on the flight that caused the hilarious mix-up.
US President Joe Biden described Biles as a “pioneer and role model”. She gave greater meaning to her personal pain and now speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves. Biles, along with hundreds of other US gymnasts, had sued former American team doctor Larry Nasser for sexual abuse. She deals openly with her emotional burdens. At the Olympic Games in Tokyo, she spoke about mental problems and therefore canceled some starts.
Sources: Simone Biles on Instagram / DPA