Obama Tweets Congratulations to Team USA as Rio Olympics Close

The President of the United States took to Twitter as 2016 Rio Olympics close.

By
J.J. Gallagher
August 22, 2016, 2:01 AM ET
2 min read

— -- An ebullient President Obama took to Twitter to congratulate Team USA as the 2016 Rio Olympics came to a close on Sunday night.

The president called out one athlete in particular. 19-year-old gymnast Simone Biles got the mention as he applauded her for carrying that "flag high," during the closing ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.

Biles dominated women's gymnastics at the Rio Games, her Olympic debut. She scored a total of four gold medals, becoming the first American gymnast to accomplish that feat and one of only four women to do so in Olympic history.

Biles responded to the president's Tweet with her trademark enthusiasm.

Even as the Rio Olympics wrapped up on Sunday, Biles wasn't through making history, as she became the first-ever female gymnast to earn the honor of carrying the United States flag at the closing ceremony.

"It's an incredible honor to be selected as the flag bearer by my Team USA teammates,” Biles said after being chosen. “This experience has been the dream of a lifetime."