Simone Biles is capping off an incredible 2016 Olympics by receiving one of the highest honors an Olympic athlete can achieve.
But forgive the 19-year-old gymnast if she has something else on her mind.
Biles, who captured four gold medals and one bronze in a dominant showing in Rio de Janeiro, was chosen Saturday to be Team USA’s flag bearer at Sunday’s closing ceremony.
It’s an historic honor for Biles, as she’ll be just the second American gymnast to carry the U.S. flag in an opening or closing since Alfred Jochim did so in 1936. (Decorated swimmer Michael Phelps carried the flag in this year’s opening ceremony.)
But upon hearing the news, Biles had just one question to ask.
hey @ZacEfron
I'm carrying the flag for closing ceremony!! Will you still be here ? #GoTeamUSA— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) August 20, 2016
It was movie star Zac Efron, of course, who surprised Biles and her Olympic teammates Wednesday by showing up in Rio to meet them, prompting the following reaction from Biles:
.@Simone_Biles after @ZacEfron surprise. #RioTODAY pic.twitter.com/LAiZrcwyb9
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) August 17, 2016
This all begs an obvious question: Will Biles get to see her celebrity crush one more time? According to Efron’s Twitter, it doesn’t look like it. But at least he let her down gently.
Congrats! You deserve it Simone! Had to head home for work, but I’ll be there in spirit. Carry that 🔥🇺🇸 #GoTeamUSA https://t.co/RYi4EbyOyK
— Zac Efron (@ZacEfron) August 20, 2016
It looks like Biles will just have to settle for waving the flag of the most dominant team at the Rio Olympics in front of thousands of fans and millions more watching worldwide. You win some, you lose some.
Thumbnail photo via Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY Sports Images
