Simone Biles’ Words Of Encouragement To Rival Gymnast Shows Why She’s So Beloved

Hillary Heron wanted to do her home country of Panama proud in her first-ever Olympic Games in Paris.

She paid homage to her country with her custom-made, self-designed leotard during the women’s gymnastics qualifier on Sunday — the same outfit earned Heron a compliment from gymnastics star Simone Biles.

“When I was in the warm-up, she told me she loved my leo,” Heron told Olympics.com . “[That] definitely that was an ego boost.”

Biles’ uplifting words of affirmation gave Heron the confidence necessary to put forth a memorable performance. She became the only gymnast aside from Biles to complete the Biles I — a tumbling move in which she hit a double layout with a half-twist — during her floor routine.

“Knowing that I carry Panama with me, both in my leotard and in every presentation I do, it means a lot to me and it's a dream come true,” Heron said, via Reuters . “On top of that, Simone Biles liked it, so it means the whole universe. I'm very happy, very honored and I think that it's a sign of the impact that she has both on gymnastics and on sports in general.”

Heron finished with a score of 13.03 in the floor event and finished 44th overall in the women’s all-around qualifying, while Biles scored a 14.60 in the floor event and first overall in qualifying.

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