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IIn the world of gymnastics, there’s one name that stands out more than any other: Simone Biles. With her extraordinary talent, unmatched skill and unwavering determination, Biles has redefined what it means to be a gymnast. But her impact reaches far beyond the field of gymnastics. Over the past two years, the 26-year-old star has become a symbol of resilience and a prominent voice on the topic of mental health. Now, Biles has made history by becoming just the second gymnast to compete in all three Olympic Games. Here’s why Simone Biles will always be the GOAT of gymnastics.
Biles has secured her spot to lead the U.S. team at the Paris Olympics, which run from July 26 to August 11. Her impressive floor exercise at the U.S. Gymnastics Olympic Trials on June 30 earned her 117.225 points and cemented her place in the competition.
Biles, who will make history as the first American woman to be selected for three consecutive Olympic teams since Dominique Dawes (Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000), will captain the veteran team in Paris and will be joined by her Tokyo 2020 teammates Suni Lee, Jordan Childs and Jade Carey. Newcomer Hesly Rivera will also be making her Olympic debut in Paris.
Following her silver medal in Japan, Biles and her returning teammates are determined to bring home the gold.
“This is definitely our revenge tour. We all feel like we can give more. Tokyo wasn’t our best. The circumstances weren’t the best,” Biles, 27, said. Said “But we feel we have a huge burden on our shoulders to prove that we are better athletes, more mature, smarter and more consistent,” the statement said on the Paris Olympics website.
From foster parent to gymnastics champion.
Simone had an unimaginable formative year in Columbus, Ohio. Born on March 17, 1997, the star grew up alongside her siblings in a volatile household where substance abuse and addiction were commonplace. Vile’s parents were forced to place the dynamic icon and her siblings in foster care after their battle with substance abuse spiraled out of control, according to a statement. PopSugar.
The children were moved from one foster home to another until their grandfather, Ron Biles, and his second wife, Nellie, adopted them. Biles’ athletic ability shone through from an early age. Achievement.org At the age of six, this incredible athlete was taken to a gym to watch older girls practicing gymnastics. Several coaches were amazed at how well the little one could mimic the girls’ quick movements. One instructor wrote Biles’ family a letter encouraging her to try the sport. The rest is history.
Ron and Nellie enrolled their superstar in a training program under coach Amy Boorman at Bannon’s Gymnastics in Houston. Biles pursued the program and quickly developed the skills to compete in her first competition in 2011. At the American Classic, Biles placed third in the all-around and first on vault.
At age 14, she made the difficult decision to be homeschooled in order to focus on competitive gymnastics.
