After the incredible win Simone Biles brought America in the Gymnastics World Championships, it seemed only right to talk about all the jumps and twists it took her to get this far. Born March 14, 1997, Biles came into this world suited in her gymnastics leotard ready to jump on the beam. After being adopted by her grandparents, Biles spent the majority of her life in Spring, Texas. At just six years old, her interest in the world of gymnastics started after a school field trip to her local gymnastics center, where she ended up training for 11 years. The energetic Biles took to the training quickly and set out on the long road to becoming a champion. Biles started competing in 2011, and just two years later she was already dominating the sport. Winning her first U.S. championship in 2013, she placed at the top again in 2014 and also won gold medals in the vault and floor exercise. Not only that, but she also became the first African-American to win the all-around title at the gymnastics world championship. In 2015 Biles became the first gymnast since 1992 to win a third consecutive U.S. all-around title. She won again in 2016, 2018, and 2019. While she was crushing it in the gymnastics world, she’s also had her fair share of falls.
At the 2013 U.S. Classic, she lost control on the balance beam and fell during her floor exercise. Her coach was forced to pull her from the meet. Observers of the gymnastics circuit wondered openly whether her undeniable strength and agility were enough to overcome some inner deficiency. Biles consulted a sports psychologist and attended a private training camp. Biles does not discuss the substance of these sessions in detail, but something clicked. She learned to put the expectations of others out of her mind and enjoy her performance in the moment. Only three weeks after her disastrous showing at the Classic, she won the USA Gymnastics National Championship and was named to the Senior National Team. Two months after that, she won the World Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium — her first international title — scoring first on floor exercise, second on the vault, and first in all-around. She has not lost a meet since.
No one can question the undeniable strength Simone Biles has, with all the barriers broken down and medals under her belt, this 26-year-old will continue to leave the world speechless on and off the mat. People all over the world are already looking forward to this young woman’s bright life.
