November 14, 2023
Simone Biles is widely considered the greatest gymnast of all time. She is the first female to win three straight All-Around World Championships, earning a total of 14 medals, 10 of them gold.
Life was not always easy for Simone. Her birth mother was unable to care for her children. Simone’s grandparents, Ron and Nellie Biles, adopted Simone and her younger sister, Adria.
On a field trip with her daycare class, six-year-old Simone was introduced to her sport at Bannon’s Gymnastix. Very quickly, she started copying the gymnasts, drawing the attention of the instructors.
“I loved the idea of flipping around, and the center saw something in me, so they sent home a letter to my parents encouraging me to join,” Simone explains. “Right from the start, I was fearless and willing to try anything and everything.”
Simone advanced very quickly. At age seven, she began performing competitively. Her debut as an international gymnast was on March 2013 at a World Cup event.
Simone is known for her power and upbeat personality. She often plays to the crowd, flashing a big smile as she performs in the floor exercise. Her coach, Aimee Boorman, appreciates her hard work and personality. “Simone is bubbly. She loves to laugh, is genuine and real. When she wins and is given flowers on the medal podium, she searches out the shyest child in the crowd and gives her the flowers.”
How does Simone handle the pressures of life as an athlete? “It is important to embrace the moment,” she says. “Remember to have as much fun as you can, but keep in mind, win or lose, you still have your whole life ahead. You can achieve anything that you put your mind to.”
Vocabulary
- execute – to do or perform something planned
- pirouette – a fast turn of the body on the toes or front part of the foot
- vault – to jump over something by first putting your hands on it or using a pole
- debut – to appear or perform in public for the first time
- genuine – being what something or someone appears to be; real
- excel – to be highly skilled, and be better than most others