Olympic Gold Medalist Simone Biles Tops espnW’s 2016 IMPACT25 List as ‘Woman of the Year’

Hillary Clinton, Leslie Jones and “Pitch” star Kylie Bunbury are also among the 25 honorees

Simone Biles

Olympic gymnast Simone Biles topped espnW’s 2016 IMPACT25 List as “Woman of the Year,” ESPN announced Tuesday.

The gold medalist’s impressive achievement was revealed on “SportsCenter: Coast to Coast” by host Cari Champion, and the gymnast will also grace the cover of ESPN The Magazine’s upcoming year-end issue.

2016 was an impressive year for Biles, 19, as she won her fourth consecutive gymnastics all-around national title, brought home five Olympic medals from Rio — including golds in the Team and the All-Around competitions — and published a memoir.

Among the other honorees on espnW’s IMPACT25 List are Hillary Clinton, “Saturday Night Live’s” Leslie Jones, “Pitch” star Kylie Bunbury and Invictus Games gold medal winner U.S. Army Sergeant Elizabeth Marks.

“Simone Biles had a year like no other and made an indelible mark on the sports and cultural landscapes that went far beyond gymnastics,” Alison Overholt, editor-in-chief of espnW and ESPN The Magazine, said in a statement. “We’re proud to celebrate her achievements and those of all the incredible women who made the list.”

Each honoree had an essay written about them for espnW from friends, family members or those whose lives they impacted. Famous essayists include Prince Harry, Billie Jean King and Michael Phelps.

“The heartfelt essays contributed to honor this year’s IMPACT25 demonstrate how much these women altered the tenor of the conversation around women in sports and ignited our imaginations in 2016,” Overholt continued.

See the full list here.

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