Simone Biles has praised 14-year-old Kortnee Solomon, who made historical past as the primary black cowgirl to compete at a nationally televised rodeo in 2021.
This acknowledgment comes amid Girls’s Historical past Month, with Biles additionally stating that she wished to be a cowgirl rising up.
Solomon’s journey started at 11 when she participated within the first nationally televised Black rodeo in 2021. Regardless of typically being the only real feminine competitor at occasions, Solomon normally stays undeterred and believes she is completely different.
“Earlier than I run, I wish to be on my own and to consider what I’m going to do in that run,” she mentioned of her demeanor earlier than a contest.
Biles, herself impressed by Solomon’s story, revealed her childhood dream of changing into a cowgirl however deserted it after being instructed there have been no black cowgirls.
The celebrated gymnast lauded Solomon on X and expressed hope for a profitable profession for the younger cowgirl.
“YES MA’AM. go woman go woman!!!!, Biles wrote final week.
“Once I was youthful I used to need to be a cowgirl so dangerous & somebody instructed me there have been no black cowgirls, so I hung my cowgirl hat up! LOOK NOW WAHOO! GO KORTNEE. BLACK GIRL MAGIC!!!!”
She expressed hope that future generations of aspiring cowgirls received’t face the identical discouragement she did.
Biles is without doubt one of the most embellished gymnasts in historical past, however, encountered her personal set of challenges within the pursuit of her profession. She has the vault routine (round-off half on, format double full Yurchenko 1/2 on, format 2/1) named after her, the Biles.
Whereas Biles stays the only real gymnast to execute this routine efficiently, she acknowledges she finds it troublesome to execute it now.
A fan just lately shared an image on social media of the complexity related to performing the ability.
Biles reacted by stating that she “actually” couldn’t carry out the ability that manner anymore.
“The way in which I actually can not do it anymore,” she defined.
The 26-year-old can develop into essentially the most embellished gymnast in Olympic historical past by securing a medal on the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Regardless of not competing within the current Winter Cup attributable to her qualification for the Nationwide group, Biles is gearing up for the 2024 World Creative Gymnastics Championship.
