As we know, 2016 has been an extremely impressive year for Olympian Simone Biles. The 20-year-old won her fourth consecutive all-around national title, she won five Olympic medals in Rio, she released her best-selling memoir, Courage To Soar, and she has been nominated and received numerous awards. Among her accolades, to close out the year, the young athlete was recently recognized as espnW’s 2016 IMPACT25 “Women of the Year” and will grace the cover of ESPN The Magazine’s end-of-the year cover.
“Simone Biles had a year like no other and made an indelible mark on sports and cultural landscapes that went far beyond gymnastics,” commented Alison Overhold, editor-in-chief of espnW and ESPN The Magazine in a statement. “We’re proud to celebrate her achievements and those of all the incredible women who made the list.”
An essay was written about each honoree for espnW from family, friends, and those who have been personally impacted by the honorees. Famous essayists have included Prince Harry, Billie Jean King, and Michael Phelps. “The heartfelt essays contributed to honor this year’s IMPACT25 demonstrate how much these women altered the tenor of the conversation around women in sports and ignited our imaginations in 2016,” continued Overholt.
Additional honorees included Hillary Clinton, Saturday Night Live’s Leslie Jones, Pitch star Kylie Bunbury and Invictus Games gold medalist, U.S. Army Sergeant Elizabeth Marks. To see a complete list of the honorees, click here.
Congratulations, Simone! We can’t wait to see what is in store for 2017!
