Simone Biles said the goat pendant she wore after winning her sixth Olympic gold medal and her second gold medal at the Paris Games was a reminder to those who doubted her.
“It’s a little ode [the goat pendant] …I mean, a lot of people love it. They always call me the GOAT [greatest of all time]so I thought it would be really special if I got one made,” she said after her victory at the Bercy Arena. “The haters hate it, so I love it even more. It’s just a special part of me that I have here. In the [Olympic] village I have a stuffed goat. Just to give you a little reminder. Like, ‘You can go there, you can do it. You’ve done it before. So let’s go.'”
According to to page sixThe pendant has 546 diamonds set into its body. It’s not the first time Biles has used the theme. She wore a goat-themed leotard at the 2021 U.S. National Championships.
She has also used criticism to stoke her competitive spirit this week. Hours after helping the U.S. win a team gold on Tuesday, the 27-year-old posted a photo on Instagram of herself celebrating on stage with fellow gold medalists Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera, with the caption “lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions.” Biles’ words were in response to recent comments from MyKayla Skinner, a former U.S. gymnast who won a silver medal on vault at the 2020 Olympics, who questioned the talent and dedication of Biles’ teammates.
Biles’ gold on Thursday was her 39th career medal between the Olympics and world championships, extending her record as the most decorated gymnast in history. Since winning her first national title in 2013, she has won every all-around event in every competition she has competed in.