With her name perfectly etched in history, Simone Biles will always be known as one of the greatest gymnasts ever to rule the sports scene. The world champion came a long way from her humble beginnings to stardom, and although her childhood was marred by trauma, the star is past all that and is way into her prime years with fame and fortune.
To date, Biles is the most decorated gymnast in history. Over the years, people all over the globe have been able to witness her indisputable talents and highly impressive skills in the athletic world, as she has been a shining star in national and global competitions.
She has earned herself plenty of Olympic and World Championship medals and has easily become one of the most dominating athletes in the world. From jaw-dropping stunts and tricks to her determined personality, it’s not hard to see why so many people have become a fan of the 26-year-old star.
To date, Biles is the recipient of four Olympic gold medals, all from her the Rio 2016 Olympics – Team, All Around, Vault, and Floor Excercise. She also got a Bronze Olympic medal in the same year. In 2021, she went home with Silver and Bronze Olympic medals for the Team and Balance Beam competitions.
On Aug. 6, 2024, Biles did it again! She won her first competitive gymnastic medal since 2021, landing perfectly in first place in front of a packed venue at the 2023 Core Hydration Classic Event in Chicago, Illinois.
Keep on reading to learn more about Biles, her history of wins, and her recent accomplishment!
In 2021, Biles dropped out at some of her initially planned events at the Tokyo Olympics after struggling mid-air on one of her earlier performances.
According to an e-mail statement received by publications such as The New York Times, she withdrew from the team finals because of a mental health issue.
Her trainers revealed that she was re-evaluated every day and that her then participation in the event finals would depend on what those evaluations found. The US Olympics team has since continued competing without the renowned gymnast, scoring a silver medal in the last event even without their famous frontrunner.
Biles’s sudden drop-out has shocked fans and sports enthusiasts all over the world. The gymnast has since spoken out and explained more of her reasoning behind the decision. It is very clear that she has not decided to drop out on a whim.
According to the publication, the e-mail statement from Biles’s team and manager said: “We wholeheartedly support Simone’s decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, while she is a role model for so many.”
Biles had already qualified for all four Olympic event finals and was expected to earn the gold medal in at least three of those four events. In the all-around bracket, it was expected that she would repeat her title win from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. This would have made her the first female gymnast to win back-to-back titles in the Olympic all-around in the last 53 years.
Biles has not lost an all-around competition since back in 2013 when she was still 16 and wearing braces. Her years of unbroken success have placed high hopes and pressure on her, however.
Since her last performance in front of the world stage, a lot has happened to Biles since dropping out of the Tokyo Olympics. She got married to Green Bay Packers’ Jonathan Owens on April 2023, and they have since moved in together at their luxurious mansion in Houston, Texas.
On Aug. 4, 2023, Biles returned to the rubber mats as she joined the 2023 Core Hydration Classic Event in Chicago, Illinois. She scored 14.0 on uneven bars, 14.8 on the balance beam, 14.9 on floor exercise, and a staggering 15.4 in the vault, which sent the whole venue celebrating her triumphant return.
Speaking to CNBC, as quoted by CNN, after her amazing performance, Biles had this to say: “It felt really good, especially after everything that’s happened over the past year. So, everyone that was cheering, made posters and all that in the crowd, it just made my heart melt that they still believe in me and I got back out here and I did what I was training so I’m very happy with the result.”
Talking about her return to the vault after two years, Biles said that the win “means the world” to her after “everything that kind of transpired in Tokyo.”
“I worked on myself a lot, I still do therapy weekly and it’s just been so exciting to come out here and have the confidence I had before,” she assured.
The 2023 Core Hydration Classic competition is the last opportunity for aspiring athletes to qualify for the national championships. With Biles’ win, she gets an automatic spot for the 2023 World Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, on Sep. 30 to Oct. 8, 2023.
Congratulations, Simone Biles! What can you say about her performance? Isn’t she amazing? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other Simone Biles fans!
