Simone Biles has just become the most decorated US gymnast in history following her performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics. But her feud with former teammate MyKayla Skinner is also getting a lot of attention.
After winning her first gold medal at this year’s Olympics in the women’s gymnastics team final, she shared a celebratory Instagram post with the caption: ‘Lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions.’ For those in the know, this appeared to be a dig at her ex-United States teammate, MyKayla Skinner.
Skinner had previously criticised the current US gymnastics team, which also included Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee and Hezly Rivera, in a YouTube video.
‘Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn’t what it used to be,’ she said. ‘I mean, obviously, a lot of girls don’t work as hard. The girls just don’t have the work ethic.’
Since then, other athletes have chipped in on the drama and Skinner, who won silver in the Women’s Vault at the Tokyo Olympics, has blocked Simone Biles on Instagram.
Here’s a full rundown of the Biles/Skinner feud so far…
Who is MyKayla Skinner?
MyKayla Skinner is a retired gymnast who was part of the US gymnastics team in 2020.
After Simone Biles pulled out from the Tokyo Olympics with a case of ‘the twisties’, Skinner took her place in the vault final and earned Team USA a silver medal.
MyKayla Skinner’s YouTube video
Following the US Gymnastic Olympic Team Trials in Minnesota in July, Skinner posted a since-deleted video on YouTube in which she suggested that the talent and work ethic of the 2024 team is not up to scratch.
She said: ‘A lot of girls don’t work as hard. It’s hard too because of SafeSport. Coaches can’t get on athletes which in some ways is really good but at the same time, to get to where you need to be in gymnastics you do have to be… a little aggressive, a little intense.’
The backlash to her comments was swift, and on July 6 Skinner posted an apology on her social media accounts.
Simone Biles hits back
After Team USA won gold in Paris, Simone shared a post of the five teammates celebrating the win, with the caption ‘lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions’ – a reference to Skinner’s previous comments.
Biles’ teammates chimed in, with Jordan Chiles commenting ‘and that’s on periodt!!’ while Suni Lee wrote, ‘Put a finger down if Simone Biles just ended you’.
Fellow gymnast McKayla Maroney – who often gets confused with Skinner because of their similar names – also commented on the post.
She said: ‘It doesn’t get more iconic than this.. She f’d around n found out fr. Feels like I need to apologize just to redeem my first name’.
Meanwhile, Simone’s followers were quick to catch on to the shade thrown, with one user writing under the post: ‘Simone has the best clap back lmaooo. Congratulations!!! The best to ever!!!!’
Another said: ‘Lol she’s probably so jealous that you guys won’, while one fan added: ‘THIS CAPTION WINS A GOLD MEDAL’.
Skinner blocks Simone
The day after Biles posted the Instagram post, she wrote on social media platform X: ‘oop I’ve been blocked’.
This prompted speculation that she was referring to Skinner, which was later confirmed by teammate Jordan Chiles.
Chiles posted an Instagram story on July 31 showing a picture of Simone’s phone looking at MyKayla’s profile, captioning it: ‘When she blocks Simone’.
Meanwhile, Biles and the rest of team USA will be back competing in Paris over the weekend and on Monday.
She’s expected to pick up two more gold medals in the vault and floor finals, and is in contention to win a medal in the uneven bars and balance beam too.
MORE : Olympic swimmer collapses by pool immediately after race
MORE : 90s rap icon pays for Olympian’s rent after she reveals she can’t afford it while competing
MORE : How Algerian boxer Imane Khelif overcame ‘tough childhood’ to become sporting hero
