Simone Biles looks incredible in her ‘Vogue’ cover debut

The world’s greatest gymnast looks like she could fly off the pages.

Simone Biles, the greatest gymnast of all time, is gracing the August issue of Vogue magazine and of course, she looks incredible.

Shot by Annie Leibovitz (more on that later) Biles’ Olympic-winning physique is on full display as she poses in a red one-piece against a striking mustard yellow background for the cover.

Vogue doesn’t have a great track record for diversity nor of showcasing female athletes on their covers. Biles joins a small but exclusive group of black female athletes that includes Serena Williams, who has been on the cover several times, and Marion Jones who appeared in 2001.

Inside the magazine, subsequent images highlight her flawless muscle definition, her grace and her raw power.

The interview, which was conducted in February before our current pandemic lockdown, touches on everything from the Olympic postponement to the current Black Lives Matter movement and Biles’ important role in holding the governing body of gymnastics accountable.

“Personally, for me, I don’t think of it as an obligation. I think of it as an honor to speak for those less fortunate and for the voiceless. I also feel like it gives them power,” she said.

Biles also opened up about her battle with depression after the Nassar trial.

“At one point I slept so much because, for me, it was the closest thing to death without harming myself,” Biles said. “It was an escape from all of my thoughts, from the world, from what I was dealing with. It was a really dark time,” she said.

Biles’ cover isn’t without some criticism though, with some noting that her photo should have been taken by a black photographer, instead of Leibovitz, considering the lack of diversity in magazine publishing.

You can read the full interview here.

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