Awkward Simone Biles Moments That Were Witnessed By Millions

The stunning transformation of Simone Biles has been something to behold. There's no doubt that she's the absolute GOAT when it comes to gymnastics, but make no mistake — Biles may be poised on the floor, but that doesn't mean she's never had an awkward public moment. Hey, when the cameras have been on you consistently for over a decade both in and outside of major life-changing competitions, it's only natural.

As far as most humans are concerned, no one's going to know if they take a wrong step, do a small celebratory dance at work, or even flail dramatically to dodge an insect. After all, most people don't have cameras trained on them whenever they're out in public. For Biles, however, even a little slip-up can go on record forever, living on in television and internet archives until the end of time as we know it. So, you know, no pressure. 

Thankfully, Biles seems to have a pretty good sense of herself and enough confidence to ride out the storm when things go awry. Your average Joe might crumble underneath the awkward, cringeworthy moments, doomed to repeat them forever every time they close their eyes, but the average Joe isn't 11-time Olympic medalist Simone Arianne Biles. She's dealt with her fair share of rough competition moments and awkward gaffes in the public eye, but she always dusts herself off and tries again. 

There was certainly a lot of buzz when Simone Biles won the all-around gold medal at the World Championships in 2014. Shortly after they took the podium and received their celebratory bouquets, Biles and the other two medalists realized a bee was zipping around. Apparently, the flowers came with a visitor. Hilarity ensued. 

Biles, who was 17 years old at the time, hopped off of the podium, ran back and forth behind the other medalists, and ultimately set her flowers down. All the while, the announcers continued to speak as if chaos wasn't happening on the competition floor. Her teammate Kyla Ross, who earned the bronze, also jumped off the podium and laid her own bouquet down. After a dramatic 30 or so seconds, the bee apparently flew away and the trio of medalists posed for their group photo. Was it the most professional moment in Biles' oeuvre? Probably not, but who could blame her? She wasn't about to let a sting cloud such a pivotal accomplishment early on in her career. 

It's clear Biles is not a fan of bees — or any insects, for that matter. "I don't do bugs," she later told reporters, per Sports Illustrated.

There are many strict rules Olympic gymnasts are not allowed to break, but one rule is quite simple: don't fall. It's no secret that Tokyo 2020 wasn't Simone Biles' strongest Olympics, but she gave it her best shot, just as she always does. Because of the pandemic, the USA Gymnastics team trial didn't take place until 2021, just ahead of the postponed games. By this point, fans were used to seeing Biles perform at her peak, but she didn't quite deliver at the St. Louis event. 

The 24-year-old made several mistakes at the trails, on the bars, during her floor routine, and lastly, she fell off the beam during her routine to an audible gasp from onlookers. Biles, who would go on to withdraw from the Olympics to prioritize her mental health, would later tell reporters that she wasn't in the right headspace during the trials. "I kind of got in my head today and started doubting myself," she said, per the AP. "And you could see that in the gymnastics. But just go home, work harder. This is just the beginning of the journey."

Though Biles hopped back onto the beam and made it through the rest of the routine, video clips show her looking visibly agitated as she marched away from the floor. Hey, you don't become the best at what you do by pretending you don't have tough days. 

U.S. Olympic gymnast Simone Biles' tragic true story has gotten a lot of coverage over the years, especially after the Tokyo 2020 games. The pandemic meant that the event was postponed, taking place in 2021 instead, without the usual cheering crowds and family members present. Behind the scenes, Biles was trying to work through her own mental health struggles. Halfway through the competition, she made a shocking decision.    

After taking one turn on the vault, one of her best events, Biles made her way off the floor and went straight to her team members and coach. She hugged them and told them she wouldn't be competing anymore, reassuring them that they didn't need her to win a medal. The scenes were dubbed "dramatic and unprecedented" by The Guardian, who weren't alone in their evaluation. In her 2024 documentary "Simone Biles Rising", Biles revealed she had been experiencing the "twisties," a condition where gymnasts lose track of where they are in the air, making them feel unsafe. "I kinda felt like I was in jail with my own brain and body, just like, I just feel so ashamed," she said.

While it was difficult to witness one of the sport's most gifted performers go through such a struggle in real time, Biles was able to come back with a bang for the Paris 2024 Olympics, with a true return to form. 

After withdrawing from the competition during the Tokyo Olympics, all eyes were on Simone Biles' return to Paris in 2024. (All eyes probably would've been on her anyway — she's the GOAT, after all.) It was her moment to shine, and that's exactly what she did. She stunned onlookers with an incredibly difficult vault and scooped the gold for her efforts, as well as two more golds for the individual all-around and team all-around. Alas, Biles missed out on a medal for the beam.

Though her routine got off to a good start, Biles took an awkward step and slipped off the beam. She quickly pulled herself together and finished her performance, but her score couldn't be salvaged. As she left the floor, she was visibly irritated by the hiccup. She earned a score of 13.100, placing fifth overall. 

Biles wasn't the only Olympian to take a tumble from the beam that day. Four out of the eight gymnasts competing in the final slipped during their routines, including Biles' teammate, Sunisa Lee. As former Olympian Shawn Johnson said on "Today," "The mojo was off." Thankfully, Biles was able to shake off that rough round and give an impressive showing during the floor final that same day. She won silver, placing behind Brazilian powerhouse Rebeca Andrade. 

Simone Biles has never been afraid to tell reporters how it is, but when she was quizzed about the beam final at the Paris 2024 Olympics, things got a little tense. At a press conference with her teammates, Biles took aim at the overall energy of the event. "Beam final is always the most stressful," she began. Usually we have music or background noise, whatever that may be. Honestly, we do better in environments when there's noise going on because it feels most like practice." 

Biles went on to say that they largely heard ringtones going off and people trying to quiet one another down. "It was really weird and awkward, not our favorite. None of us liked it," she stated. The gold medalist then took aim at staff, revealing that her team had asked several times if they could have music played but it never materialized. "It was an odd beam final," she concluded. Teammate Sunisa Lee also sensed something was off about the round. "You could feel the tension in the room. I mean, the crowd shushing us for cheering like we were, we didn't like that because it's just so silent in there," she added.

What organizers thought of her comments remains to be seen, but getting in the zone and being able to stay there is a key part of any athlete's preparation. While it might've made for a slightly awkward presser, Biles and Lee certainly didn't sugarcoat things.

Believe it or not, Simone Biles might go for gold at the 2028 L.A. Olympics, which would be her fourth Games. Not only does she have more Olympic medals than she can shake a stick at, but Biles has also won medals at other prestigious events, too. In 2024, she won gold after competing at the U.S. Championships, beating out multiple contenders for the top spot after an incredible performance on the uneven bars. When it was time to stand at the podium, the competitors all lined up on either side. When their places were announced, each one turned around and greeted the crowds, waving and smiling. 

When it came time for Biles to head up to the top spot, she decided to break the pattern, instead opting to do a little dance before taking her position on the podium. Sure, it was a little goofy and awkward, but above all else, it was fun and joyful. While there were a small few YouTube commenters who thought the move was unprofessional, the majority were quick to note how lovely it was to see Biles enjoying herself — especially after the 2020 Olympics. Another acknowledged that a lot has changed for Team USA ever since the organization parted ways with the Karolyis. "I am so glad that it is now ok to have fun and celebrate," they said. 

How Simone Biles changed since the 2016 Rio Olympic Games is impressive. It's not just her athletic skill that has been taken to new heights, but also her confidence in front of the camera. Nowadays, she seems as comfortable as can be in interviews and press conferences. However, back in 2016, she was still relatively green. After she won big at her first Olympics, Vogue came knocking to do one of their "73 Questions with ..." video. Though the clip was interesting and informative, the overall vibe is fairly awkward. 

From the moment Biles greeted Vogue, she kept things as straightforward as possible as they walked through her gym, occasionally cracking a quick joke. While there are some little spots where she goofed around with props such as her gold medal and a ribbon baton, the energy of the entire interview felt pretty wooden. What's more, throughout the segment, other gymnasts "interrupted" to awkwardly chime in with their own questions. She also answered a question from someone else over an iPad. 

"This was way weirder than it should have been," one Redditor said of the video. Another added, "Somehow too rehearsed and not rehearsed enough." The YouTube comments aren't exactly glowing either. "I could instantly tell that she absolutely hates this kind of stuff," wrote one viewer. Another added, "This is such an uncomfortable interview. Worst one yet."