Advertisement

Olympians Simone Biles, Megan Rapinoe will receive Presidential Medal of Freedom

Megan Rapinoe (left) and Simone Biles (right) are among the Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients.
Megan Rapinoe (left) and Simone Biles (right) are among the Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients.

Simone Biles and Megan Rapinoe are among the 17 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the White House announced Friday.

Biles and Rapinoe will be presented the United States' highest civilian honor from President Joe Biden on July 7.

In a statement from the White House, the award is said to be "presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors," listing Biles and Rapinoe's notable achievements.

Biles – Olympic gold medalist and most decorated American gymnast in history – will become the youngest athlete to receive the honor, at 25. The White House said Biles is a "prominent advocate for athletes' mental health and safety, children in the foster care system, and victims of sexual assault."

Rapinoe – also an Olympic gold medalist and two-time Women's World Cup champion – is currently the captain of OL Reign in the National Women's Soccer League. "She is a prominent advocate for gender pay equality, racial justice, and LGBTQI+ rights," the White House wrote.

Other recipients include the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, the 2008 Republican nominee for president; award-winning actor Denzel Washington, and Sandra Lindsay, the New York critical care nurse who was the first American to receive a COVID-19 vaccine outside of clinical trials.

Contact Analis Bailey at aabailey@usatoday.com or on Twitter @analisbailey.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Megan Rapinoe, Simone Biles to receive Presidential Medal of Freedom