Simone Biles and Megan Rapinoe awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Biden at The White House

US athletes Simone Biles and Megan Rapinoe received the Presidential Medal of Freedom along with 15 others from president Joe Biden on Thursday.

As per the White House, this honor is bestowed upon civilians in recognition of their exemplary meritorious contributions to the security of the United States, national interests, prosperity, world peace, or any other significant societal, cultural, public, or private endeavors.

President Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to its recipients at the White House.


Biles, who is 25 years old, is the youngest person in the US to receive this highest civilian award. She has received seven Olympic medals, in which she received four gold medals.

Biles got recognition as the greatest gymnast of all time. She has gotten more recognition for advocating for sexual assault survivors. She spoke against the sexual abuse by former US Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. Nassar has assaulted 168 girls and young women and is now serving a 175-year prison term.

Biles also advocates for mental health awareness. She withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics on multiple events, citing mental health issues.

After her Olympic career, she has made promoting mental health a primary aspect of her.


Megan Rapinoe, who also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Biden, is a decorated US athlete, a soccer player for the US Women's National Team, and in the NWSL (National Women's Soccer League).

Rapinoe has won the World cup twice and has received a Gold and a Bronze medal at the Olympics.

Rapinoe has been an advocate for social issues like LGBTQ+ rights and racial justice. She has also led the campaign to equalize pay among the members of USWNT and USMNT. By receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Rapinoe became the first soccer player in the country to be given such an honor.

Others who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom included Steve Jobs, Apple co-founder(posthumously), John McCain, former US Sen. (posthumously), Denzel Washington, actor, Gabrielle Giffords, a former U.S. Rep. and gun-control advocate, Sandra Lindsay, a nurse from New York who was the first individual outside of clinical trials to get the COVID-19 vaccination.