Dancing Simone Biles: Smiling at judges doesn’t win you gold medals
With an eye for what could be an elusive “Dancing with the Stars” judges’ nod, artistic gymnast Simone Biles elegantly reacted to the judges’ criticism with a statement fit for a champion like her.
On the American reality TV show’s semifinals aired on Tuesday (Monday in the US), the four-time Olympic gold medalist was grilled by judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Julianne Hough, who criticized her for displaying a lack of emotion during her foxtrot and pasodoble routines.
“Your skills are unquestionable,” Inaba told her. “But once again, I’m going to come back to performance and authenticity about who you are when you perform…You have this beautiful smile and you are a megastar with your energy, but once in a while, there’s beauty without a smile. I’d like to see more of that.”
When host Tom Bergeron asked Biles why she didn’t flash her toothy grin upon hearing the judges’ praises of her performances, she defended, “Smiling doesn’t win you gold medals.”
READ: Gymnast Simone Biles to compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’
Her canny clapback was feted by social media, who flipped to Biles’ side and defended her.
"SMILING 👏🏽 DOESN'T 👏🏽 WIN 👏🏽 YOU 👏🏽 GOLD 👏🏽 MEDALS 👏🏽" – @Simone_Biles pic.twitter.com/yooc4lXtUM
— caleb shaffer (@_calebshaffer_) May 9, 2017
"Smiling doesn't win you Gold medals." Oh Simone Biles you savage. #DWTS
— Eric Mueller (@EricJ_Mueller) May 9, 2017
Simone Biles: "Smiling doesn't win you Gold Medals"
S.A.V.A.G.E #DWTS pic.twitter.com/byTFrfaSyN— Balkîssa (@nathybarry18) May 9, 2017
Biles, 20, is eyeing to be the second American gymnast to win “Dancing with the Stars,” after fellow Olympian Laurie Hernandez.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight after her routine, Biles admitted that she and her dance partner Sasha Farber faltered in impressing the judges but that they were not giving up in vying for the gold. “I feel like I am trying, I am being honest, but if they don’t see that, I don’t know what more I can do,” Biles explained. “I had tears in my eyes…I almost ran to the bathroom at one point, but I pulled it together.” Gianna Francesca Catolico /ra
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