Taylor Swift Praises Simone Biles in Heartwarming Video Ahead of the Gymnast's Balance Beam Performance

Carolyn Twersky
·2 min read
Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Taylor Swift is just as in awe of Simone Biles are you are. The singer paid tribute to the Olympic Champion in a heartwarming video ahead of Simone's balance beam event on Tuesday.

The video begins with Taylor's folklore track, "This is Me Trying," when she comes in with a voiceover. "What do we want from our heroes?" Taylor asks. "What do we expect of them? What do we need from them? What happens when they surprise us?" As she speaks, the video of Simone's vault event from last week plays in the video.

"When you have the attention of the world, everything you do takes on a bigger meaning," Taylor continues. "It can be a heavy burden. It can be a chance to change everything."

We then see Simone at the press conference after she pulled out of the all-around finals. "Put mental health first because it shows how strong of a competitor and person that you really are," she says.

Taylor continues, "Throughout the last week, her voice has been as significant as her talents," she says. "Her honesty as beautiful as the perfection that had long been her signature. But don't you see? It still is. She's perfectly human and that's what makes it so easy to call her a hero."

As we now know, Simone went on to win bronze in the balance beam finals on Tuesday. She later took to Twitter to share her appreciation for Taylor's tribute. "I’m crying how special," she wrote. "I love you @taylorswift13."

Taylor quickly responded. "I cried watching YOU," she said. "I feel so lucky to have gotten to watch you all these years, but this week was a lesson in emotional intelligence and resilience. We all learned from you. Thank you."

Taylor is hardly the only celebrity who has supported Simone. Many stars and fellow Olympians have praised the gymnast throughout the past week as she continues to speak out about her decision to pull out of various events in Tokyo and the importance of recognizing the effect pressure has on the mental health of athletes.

Follow Carolyn on Instagram.

You Might Also Like