Simone Biles named TIME’s Athlete of the Year

Simone Biles has been named Althere of the Year by TIME magazine.

TIME announced Biles’ honor across its social media channels on Thursday.

In 2021, Biles made headlines for her withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics, her comeback, inspiring conversations about mental health, and standing to testify against former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar; all acts that can be defined by one word– courageous.

TIME’s story details these events as they occurred throughout 2021.

In the piece, Colin Kaepernick praises Biles’ “grace, eloquence and courage.”

“Simone Biles has used her remarkable position as the world’s greatest gymnast ever to inspire a long-overdue global conversation on mental health,” Kaepernick told TIME. “Her influence extends far beyond the realm of sports and shows us that another world—a better world—is possible when we speak our truths with integrity and authenticity.”