Simone Biles destroyed hater who called Team USA gymnasts lazy with one IG post

Simone Biles and the U.S. women’s Olympic gymnastics team came out on top in the women’s artistic gymnastics team final on Tuesday. After her struggles with the twisties in Tokyo and a silver medal finish in the team competition, Biles returned to elite gymnastics to make another run at the Olympics. She views the Paris Olympics as a redemption tour, and so far, the tour is a hit.

Despite injuries to three top gymnasts during the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Biles is surrounded by a strong Team USA. But not everyone had kind words to say about the team, including retired elite gymnast MyKayla Skinner, who came under fire for comments she made in a YouTube video during the Olympic Trials.

After the U.S.’s big win in Paris, Biles had an epic response to Skinner’s thoughts on the Olympic team.

Simone Biles throws shade at MyKayla Skinner after gold medal finish

MyKayla Skinner was an alternate for the 2016 U.S. Olympic team. She competed as an individual gymnast at the 2020 Olympics, where she earned a silver medal on vault. Despite being one of the best in the world on vault at the time, with the two-per-country rule, Skinner only competed in the final due to Simone Biles withdrawing.

In a now-deleted YouTube video, Skinner expressed some feelings that didn’t sit well with other gymnasts or the public. Referencing the current crop of elite gymnasts, Skinner said, “Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and depth just isn’t what it used to be.”

Gymnastics fans found this rather interesting, considering the Olympic team has multiple returning gymnasts from the last Olympics. Besides Biles, her Tokyo teammates Suni Lee and Jordan Chiles made the Paris Olympics team, as did Jade Carey, who competed as an individual gymnast at the 2020 Olympics. The only first-time Olympian of the 2024 team is first-year senior Hezly Rivera. Lee is the reigning Olympic all-around champion, Chiles earned silver medals on vault and floor at the 2022 World Championships and Carey is the reigning Olympic floor champion.

Skinner continued to rip the current elite gymnasts in the video, expressing that they don’t seem to work as hard anymore and lack work ethic. She attributed the change in work ethic to the U.S. Center for Safesport as well as Marta Karolyi’s retirement. 

After her video went viral, Skinner received backlash from the gymnastics community, including Biles who posted that ”not everyone needs a mic and a platform.” Several gymnasts unfollowed Skinner on Instagram. She released an apology and stated that her comments were “misinterpreted.”

Although Skinner expressed that Biles was not included in her feelings about the current team, Biles took the digs at her teammates to heart. Following the U.S. women’s gold medal finish on Tuesday, she shared another message that is clearly a response to Skinner’s comments, although Skinner is not directly mentioned or tagged. Biles posted pictures of herself and her teammates from their gold medal-winning moment with the caption, “lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions.”

Several gymnasts sounded off in the comments section on Biles’ post. Biles’ 2016 Olympic teammate and gold medalist, Laurie Hernandez, commented on the post to congratulate Biles and the team. 2012 Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney had a little fun with having the same name as MyKayla Skinner. Maroney commented, “It doesn’t get more iconic than this. She f’d around and found out fr. Feels like I need to apologize just to redeem my name.” 2008 Olympic gold medalist Nastia Liukin simply wrote, “micdrop.”

With this team medal, Biles became the most decorated U.S. Olympic gymnast ever. Unsurprisingly, the gymnastics GOAT has the last laugh, and so do her very talented, hard-working teammates. This team is iconic. Mic drop.