Day Nine - 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships

5 Unknown & interesting facts about Simone Biles

Modified Mar 13, 2024 12:31 GMT

American athlete Simone Biles is considered by many to be the greatest gymnast of all time after her performance at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. She is the most decorated gymnast in the history of the sport.

Biles is a common household name in the United States and is a fan favorite too. The Texas-born athlete represented the United States national team from 2012 to 2016 and then returned for her second stint between 2018 and 2021.

The 26-year-old gymnast was recalled into the team earlier this year. With 30 medals to her name, Simone Biles has won the most number of medals at the Gymnastics World Championships.

Let's take a look at five unknown and interesting facts about Simone Biles.

#5 She has co-written a book

American gymnast Simone Biles had co-written a book following her success at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She was given the opportunity to write her autobiography, titled "Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance."

Famous author and editor Michelle Burford assisted Biles in penning down her journey. The book was released in November 2016 and was listed in the New York Times Young Adult best-seller six months later.

Expressing her decision to write an autobiography. Simone Biles was quoted as saying to The Christian Post:

“There [are] so many people who have inspired me with their love and encouragement along the way — and I want to pass on that inspiration to readers.”

#4 She was adopted by her grandparents

Simone Biles, along with her three siblings were taken care of by a foster mother during a part of their childhood. She and her younger sister Adria were later adopted by her grandparents, who lived in Texas. Meanwhile, her other two sisters were adopted by their great aunt.

Simone's grandfather Ron was an Air Force veteran, while her grandmother Nellie Biles was a nurse. They adopted Simone Biles and her sister Adria Biles in 2003. The American gymnasts have a strong bond with Ron and Nellie as they have played the role of parents in her life.

#3 She was a school dropout

Simone Biles left school at the age of 15 and was homeschooled by her grandparents. This decision was made to allow the American gymnast to focus more on training and getting better at the sport.

After opting out of school, she increased her training to 32 hours a week instead of 20 hours a week, which also saw her improve at the game.

#2 She fell in love with gymnastics on a field trip

Biles fell in love with the sport while she was on a field trip to a local gymnasium back in 2003. She discovered her love for gymnastics at the age of six and hasn't looked back ever since.

Her performance at a very young age caught the attention of many, including her instructors, who then pushed her to pursue a career in gymnastics. The rest is history!

#1 Shortest member of the USA Team at the 2016 Olympics

Simone Biles was the shortest member of the United States Team at the 2016 edition of the Summer Olympics. She was 4 feet 8 inches tall at the mega event that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Gymants tend to have short height and it compliments them in the sport as well. They can complete the toughest of the jumps if they are short.