The eyes of the world have been on Paris this past week since the 2024 Olympic games began in the French capital city last Friday. There are a few sports I like to watch and one of those is the gymnastics. I am in awe of the strong young women wearing beautiful leotards, flipping, tumbling and doing the most powerful and thrilling tricks on the vault, balance beam, bars and floor.
As an Australian, I of course support our home team, but I also enjoy watching the USA team who always do so well and dominate international competitions. This year is no exception, with Simone Biles winning the gold medal in the Women's all-around final for the second time and she is the first woman to win two Olympic all-around titles since Vera Caslavska in 1964 and 1968.
In this post, I am sharing a few facts about the greatest U.S. gymnast of all time.
Her grandparents are her parents
Simone and her siblings spent some of their childhood in foster care because their mother sadly struggled with substance abuse. Simone and her sister Adria went to live with their grandparents in Texas, and the others lived with their great aunt. In 2003, Ron and Nellie Biles officially adopted the girls, so they are Simone's father and mother.
Simone started liking gymnastics during a field trip
When Simone was six-years-old, she went with her daycare on a field trip to a local gymnasium and displayed her natural skills, attracting the attention of the instructors, who suggested she return for more lessons. That is when she fell in love with gymnastics.
She was homeschooled
Simone left public school when she was f15 to be homeschooled by her parents. This allowed her to increase her training from 20 hours a week to 32 hours a week. At one point, Simone intended to attend the University of California and even signed a letter of intent but decided to turn pro instead.
Her sister is also a gymnast
Adria Biles is also a gymnast who trains and participates in competitions just like her big sister. Simone and Adria train together and support each other. Adria is always cheering for Simone and proud of her.
Simone is an author
After the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Simone was given the opportunity to share her story and, with the help of writer and editor Michelle Burford, she co-wrote an autobiography titled, Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance. The book was released in November 2016 and made the top of the New York Times Young Adult best sellers list six months later.
She has her own line of leotards
A year before the Rio Olympics, she signed a deal with gymnastics apparel company, GK Elite Sportswear which gave Simone her own unique line of leotards, which are still available for purchase today.
\Simone is tiny.
Simone is only 4 feet 8 inches tall, which is roughly the average height for a femail gymnast. Gymnasts tend to be short, which comes in handy because their height suits the highly complex jumps and moves they have to perform during competitions. Simone was the shortest member of the US Olympic team. 4
Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee and Hezly Rivera won the gold medal
in the Women's team final, making them Olympic champions.
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