Why Simone Biles is Wearing 546-diamond GOAT Necklace at Olympics

Simone Biles was seen sporting a 546-diamond-encrusted necklace of a goat before donning the all-round Olympic gold medal on Thursday night, and she has since revealed in an interview that the former is a reminder of her abilities.

American gymnast Biles, 27, added yet another gold medal to her ladened collection after usurping the competition in the all-round competition of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Brazilian athlete Rebecca Andrade picked up silver while Biles’ teammate Suni Lee took bronze.

Landing the ninth medal of her Olympic career, Texas-born Biles has come around to the fact that she has every right to be called the Greatest of All Time (the GOAT) and has revealed the meaning behind her necklace, which depicts the farm animal.

The Reason Behind Biles’ GOAT Pendant

‘The haters hate it, so I love that even more’

During the NBC broadcast of the Paris 2024 games, Biles – who made her Olympics debut in 2016 in Rio de Janiero, Brazil – could be seen flashing the GOAT pendant as a reminder to those watching at home who the greatest gymnast is.

In a post-ceremony interview, Biles, who has recently been blocked by an ex-teammate, was asked about the origin of the necklace: “You don’t only have the gold medal around your neck, but there’s also a goat. Tell me about it.

With a wry smile on her face, the 27-year-old suggested that it was a ‘little ode’ that many people are fans of, especially those who consider her to be the certified GOAT. She also shared a message for her ‘haters’ as she said they spur her on.

“It’s a little ode. I mean a lot of people love it, they always call me the GOAT, so I thought it would be really special if I got one made and the haters hate it, so I love that even more.

As well as her dazzling neck-piece, Biles admitted to having a stuffed goat at the Olympic Village as a reminder that she is capable of securing medals on the big stage.

“It’s just a special part of me that I have here as well as in the village, I have a stuffed goat just to get a reminder that ‘You can go out there, you can do it, you’ve done it before so let’s go!’”

The pendant itself was made by a California-based jewelery company, and they took to an Instagram post to reveal that it is made out of a whopping 546 diamonds.

Biles Overcomes Tokyo Scare

‘I never thought I’d step foot on a gymnastics floor again’

After a hugely successful Games in 2016, Biles was hoping to carry her form into the delayed, 2021 edition of the Olympics – based in Tokyo, Japan. Mental health issues, however, prevented her from finishing the competition and she famously looked shaken after leaving the vault area.

In another recent interview, Biles, once again, spoke about her new bling, though ensured to look back to three years ago when she believed that she would never step foot on a gymnastic floor again.

“Three years ago, I never thought I’d step foot on a gymnastics floor again just because of everything that happened. But with the help of Cecil and Laurent, I got back in the gym and worked really hard mentally and physically. Even at 7am this morning, I saw my therapist.”

Biles still has three finals to compete in before the Paris Games come to a close. On Saturday, she is in the vault final, followed by a duo of finals on Monday: the beam and floor.