Simone Biles, the legend who is known for making history every time she competes in any championships. Whether it’s the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championship or the Olympics, Biles has always been a hot topic to discuss.
The legendary gymnast made her debut in professional gymnastics at the age of 16, nearly a decade ago. Although Simone Biles was ready to make her debut in the 2012 London Olympics, she couldn’t qualify as she was too young. So she started her gymnastic career at the U.S. World Championships in 2013.
Biles was determined to compete in the Olympics, and the opportunity finally came at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. The 20-year-old surely lived up to the expectations of her coach and peers when she led the United States to a gold medal in the team event. Then, she went ahead and won gold in individual all-around as well.
Biles also won the floor and vault events, bringing in two more golds and making her the fifth women gymnast to win four gold medals in a single Olympics. And Biles conquered it in her first go. She also won a bronze in the balance beam, making her medal count to five.
Moving forward, Biles next participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which was delayed a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was held in 2021, and everyone had high expectations from the most decorated gymnast of all time.
Official statement: “Simone Biles has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue. She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions.”
Thinking of you, Simone! pic.twitter.com/QA1GYHwWTv
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) July 27, 2021
However, Biles withdrew from several final events due to suffering from the “twisties.” It’s a condition where a gymnast performing aerial moves loses their spatial orientation after having a mental block.
Her decision to quit right before the finals to focus on her mental health sparked a much-needed conversation all around about athletes and their mental health concerns. Biles did return but could not win gold; instead, she won a bronze in the balance beam incident.
Simone Biles made her Olympic debut in 2016
As the GOAT of gymnastics, Simone Biles could not qualify for the 2012 London Olympics because of her age. She made her debut in 2016 at the Olympic Games, held in Rio de Janeiro, at the age of 19.
Simone Biles wins four Olympic gold medals at the age of 19 at the Rio Olympics #BlackGirlMagic pic.twitter.com/1l0D0qTXiW
— ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ (@merelynora) December 31, 2016
The 19-year-old lived up to the expectations of everyone as she claimed victory in several events, bringing home four Olympic golds. Biles surely charmed everyone with her discipline and exceptional skills while performing the vault and floor exercises. It was because of her that the United States won gold in gymnastics.
As she claimed seven Olympic medals, Biles made history by becoming the most decorated gymnast to claim such a top spot. She has four gold, one silver, and two bronze medals from the Olympics. However, she has the potential to earn more in the future.