Biles receives Presidential Medal of Freedom: 'Simply incredible'

An Olympic gold medal gymnast with strong ties to the Houston area was among the 17 recipients of the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

According to an Associated Press (AP) report that was ran by Houston CBS affiliate KHOU, Simone Biles and 16 other people were recognized by President Joe Biden at a White House ceremony on Thursday. 

Team USA tweeted that the 25-year-old Biles is the medal’s youngest recipient. 

“Simply incredible,” the tweet said.

Citing a report from CNN, Houston ABC affiliate KTRK reported that the group that included Biles was the first to be recognized by Biden since he took office last year.

Joining the Spring resident as honorees were individuals such as actor Denzel Washington, former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and another gold medal Olympic athlete, Megan Rapinoe, who’s a member of the U.S. women's national soccer team, according to the report.

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and former Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain were posthumous awardees.

“These 17 Americans demonstrate the power of possibilities and embody the soul of the nation – hard work, perseverance and faith," a statement from the White House reads.

According to the AP, Biles is the most decorated American gymnast in history, with 32 Olympic and World Championship medals to her name.

Biles is almost a year removed from the Tokyo Olympics in which she guided the U.S. women’s national gymnastics team to a silver medal as well as secured a bronze medal in the women’s balance beam event.

Houston Daily reported in February that the Ohio-born Biles became engaged to Houston Texans safety Jonathan Owens.

The couple had dated for more than a year before Owens proposed, per the publication.

Citing ESPN, Houston Daily reported that Biles is unsure whether she’ll compete in the 2024 Summer Games in Paris.