Simone Biles has been awarded the title of Associated Press (AP) Female Athlete of the Year for 2023, marking her third receipt of this honor. The 26-year-old former Olympian from Houston recently returned to competition following a two-year hiatus after the Tokyo Summer Games in 2021.
As reported by AP, Biles made a triumphant return to gymnastics in July at a competition in suburban Chicago, where she secured two championships. There was speculation about whether she could still perform at her previous level after such a long break, but Biles chose to demonstrate her capabilities rather than merely discuss them.
Biles, originally from Spring, surpassed Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark and Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati of the World Cup champion Spanish soccer team in the voting process for the award. Following her contribution to America's medal tally in Japan two years prior, Biles took time off to concentrate on her mental health, which she said was impacted by "the twisties." As per AP reports, many of her achievements were accomplished when she was still a teenager.
During her hiatus from sports, Biles married National Football League (NFL) defensive back Jonathan Owens as reported by Houston Daily. Quoting People magazine, Houston Daily disclosed that Biles and Owens publicized their relationship in August 2020 while she was participating in the Olympics in Japan. The couple reportedly wedded in a civil ceremony at a county courthouse.