Time names gymnast and mental health advocate Simone Biles athlete of the year

Time magazine announced on Thursday that U.S. Olympic gymnast Simone Biles was selected as its athlete of the year.

Biles, who is tied as the most decorated gymnast of all time with a combined 32 Olympic and World Championship medals, is not only known for her athletic prowess: the 24-year-old has also used her fame to promote mental health awareness.

In fact, the four-time Olympic gold medal winner was called a quitter by some fans when she opted out of the women’s team gymnastics finals at the Tokyo Olympics in July in order to prioritize her own mental health, the Washington Examiner reported.

"Whenever you get in a high-stress situation, you kind of freak out," Biles told reporters in Tokyo. "I have to focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health and well-being. It just sucks when you're fighting with your own head."

In a subsequent Instagram post, Biles described feeling “like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times,” she wrote. “I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but damn sometimes it’s hard.”

The U.S. women's gymnastics team ended up taking home the silver medal in their final event, although they were projected to win gold. 

"I do believe everything happens for a reason, and there was a purpose," she told Time after being named athlete of the year. “Not only did I get to use my voice, but it was validated as well.”

"I was torn because things weren’t going the way I wanted," she added. "But looking back, I wouldn’t change it for anything."