World Champions Centre - Spring, TX USAG Bio
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Disclaimer - There is nothing that could be said on this brief athlete introduction page to do justice the impact that Simone has had on the sport of gymnastics, all female athletes, or generations of young women as a whole. She is truly a once in a lifetime athlete who has used her success and popularity as a platform to empower women of all ages. Below the videos on this page, links have been included to further read about what she has done, what she is doing, and what she will continue to do to improve gymnastics, the athletic world, and society's perception of what a woman "should be."
Gymnastics
Simone Biles is the undisputed greatest gymnast of all time. She is the only current member of the national team to have competed in an Olympics, representing the USA in Rio in 2016. She left Rio with a total of 5 medals, four of them being gold. She currently is the most decorated American gymnast winning a combined 30 World Championship and Olympic medals, and is on the path to become the most decorated gymnast in the world following the 2O2ONE games in Tokyo. The current record is 33 medals held by Belarus gymnast Vitaly Scherbo.
Simone is consistently introducing new tricks into the sport, and currently has a skill (or multiple) named after her on floor, beam, and vault. Her innovation, skill, and work ethic continue to raise women's gymnastics to new heights. She is known for her sheer power, which is shown in how high she flies both on floor and vault, and even beam dismounts.
A few of her career highlights include:
• Winning team, all-around, vault, and floor gold medals as well as bronze on beam at the 2016 Olympics
• She has won 49 medals in her international elite career, 70% of those being gold
• Has been name World Champion 5 times
• Her historic performance at Rio 2016 earned her the privilege of carrying the American flag at the closing ceremonies, making her the first female gymnast ever to have been given that honor
Personal
Simone Biles was born on March 14, 1997 in Columbus, Ohio. After being in and out of foster care, she and her siblings moved in with her grandparents in Houston, Texas. They officially adopted the two youngest, Simone and Adria.
Biles began gymnastics at the age of 6 after a class field trip to a local gym. The instructors encouraged her to continue in the sport, and the rest is history.
After Rio 2016, Biles took a brief hiatus from the sport. During that time she competed on Dancing with the Stars and co-wrote an autobiography that hit number one on the New York Times Best Seller List.
After signing a letter of intent with UCLA in 2014, deferring until after the 2016 Olympic Games, but then decided to forfeit her NCAA eligibility and turn professional in 2015.
Throughout her career, Simone has won multiple awards, including (but not limited to) ESPN The Magazine's Most Dominant Athlete, an ESPY Award for Best Female Athlete, a People's Choice Award for The Game Changer of 2019, the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, and a Teen Choice Award for Favorite Female Athlete. These are just a few of the numerous accolades she has received.
Outside of gymnastics, Simone enjoys shopping and hanging out with friends. She is also the face of #NOCOMPETITION which is a movement to stop making beauty a competition. She aims to promote positive body image, leading by example and showing the power of being proud of your body. In an Instagram post, Biles stated,
"I don't know why but others feel as though they can define your own beauty based on their standards. I've learned to put on a strong front and let most of it slide. But I'd be lying if I told you that what people say about my arms, my legs, my body...of how I look like in a dress, leotard, bathing suit or even in casual pants hasn't gotten me down at times."
She continued, "I'm tired of everything in life being turned into a competition, so I am standing up for myself and for everyone else that has gone through the same.
Today, I say I am done competing VS. beauty standards and the toxic culture of trolling when others feel as though their expectations are not met...because nobody should tell you or I what beauty should or should not look like."
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