Who Is Simone Biles and Why Is the World Talking About Her?
Background of Simon Biles
Simone Arianne Biles is an American artistic gymnast. Biles is only 19 years old, and she has a touching background story.
Her biological mother was unable to take care of Simone and her sister, Adria, who is also a gymnast. Because of the mother's drug and alcohol addiction, Simone's grandparents, Ronald and his second wife, Nellie Biles, adopted Simone and her sister. They are recognized as parents instead of grandparents to the two girls.
Simone was homeschooled and in 2014, she announced on Twitter that she was going to UCLA. She graduated from high school in 2015, but she decided to wait until after the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro before going to college. On July 29, 2015, she announced that she would turn professional, which means she will forfeit her National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) eligibility.
Timeline of Biles' Gymnast Journey
Biles first tried gymnastics at six years old as part of a day-care field trip. She was so good at the time that instructors recommended that she continue with gymnastics. Biles soon enrolled in an optional training program at Bannon’s Gymnastix.
Biles began training with coach Aimee Boorman at age 6. Boorman is still Simone's personal coach.
Biles rose to prominence in 2013 after becoming U.S. national champion and world all-around champion in her senior debut. Boorman and Biles left Bannon's in 2014. They temporarily trained at AIM Athletics in The Woodlands, Texas. Now Biles and her coach are at Biles' parents' gymnastics facility, World Champions Centre in Spring, Texas. Boorman is the team manager and head coach there. How's that for a father building an entire gymnastics facility for his young gymnast?
Coach Aimee Boorman With Simone Biles
Why Biles Did Not Qualify For 2012 Olympics
Simone Biles did not qualify for the 2012 London Summer Olympics four years ago. It was not because she wasn't talented enough. She could not qualify because she was too young to participate.
It wasn't until the next year in 2013 that she made her debut. Since then, she has been winning titles and championship around the country.
People are talking about Simone because she performs exceptionally difficult skills while making her routines look easy.
Simone Biles' Firsts and Mosts
- Biles is the first African-American to be world all-around champion.
- She is the first woman to win three consecutive world all-around titles.
- Biles is the most decorated American female gymnast in World Championships history, with a total of fourteen medals. Ten of them are gold.
- Biles holds the record for most gold medals won by a female gymnast in the history of the World Championships.
“Words that come to mind: powerful, consistent, fun, always smiling. She’s incredibly talented, but she just has so much fun out there and it’s absolutely infectious to the audience.” – Shannon Miller, seven-time Olympic medalist and member of the Magnificent Seven
Simone Biles' Accomplishments
- Three-time world all-around champion (2013–15)
- Four-time United States national all-around champion (2013–16)
- Three-time world floor champion (2013–15)
- Two-time world balance beam champion (2014, 2015)
- Member of the gold medal-winning American teams at the 2014 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
- Member of the gold medal-winning American teams at the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
“She may be the most talented gymnast I’ve ever seen in my life, honestly. And I don’t even think she’s tapped into what she really can do. I think she’s unbeatable.” – Mary Lou Retton, 1984 Olympic gymnastics champion
“She’s the best gymnast that’s ever lived on the women’s side for sure. She’s the most talented gymnast I’ve ever seen in my life and obviously the Olympics will seal the deal. But even with 14 World Championship metals, she’s the best!” – Nastia Liukin, 2008 Olympic all-around champion
Biles' Signature Movement
Simone leaps higher and twists and tumbles in such unique ways that other gymnasts envy her.
In 2013, Biles invented her very own signature movement that includes one tumbling pass with a double flip and a half turn. She is the first female gymnast to perform the movement that she does during her floor exercise.
The movement is so unique because it includes a blind landing. Therefore, the gymnast needs to know exactly where a spot is because she won't be able to see it until she lands on it.
Simone's movement is called the "Biles." So far, she is the only woman in the world who does the "Biles."
“She makes me so glad I retired! I literally watch her and I’m just in awe.” – Shawn Johnson, 2008 Olympic champion on balance beam and all-around silver medalist
