There is still some distance to go, though, and Biles feels the best way to help other girls combat the self-worth barrier that she herself faced is “to lead by example”.

“In the gym and outside, I try to be the best role model I can be,” she explains.

The American athlete seems to have a default setting of infectious energy; and this endearing trait makes even the trickiest, most gravity-defying moves in her routines look easy.

Take the World Championships in Stuttgart earlier this month, when Biles extended her six-year unbeaten lead to secure five gold medal titles in just over a week’s worth of competition.

Performing a series of boundary-pushing twists and dips, some of which – like her signature “triple-double” (three twists with two flips in mid-air) – had never been seen before, Biles appeared full of breezy cheer.

Simone Biles: women get backlash for being good at what we do – it’s not right