8/29/2016

SimoneBilesAthlete,GymnastBiography.com

ORNONTHIDAY

Michael
Jackson

VIDO

Thurgood
Marshall

SimoneBiles
Athlete,Gmnat (1997)
imoneileithemotdecoratedAmericangmnat,winning19
OlmpicandWorldChampionhipmedal.

Synopsis
NAM
imoneile
OCCUPATION
Athlete,Gmnat
IRTHDAT
March14,1997(age19)
PLACOFIRTH
Columu,Ohio
ZODIACIGN
Pice

BorninOhioin1997,SimoneBileshasbecomeoneofAmericastop
gymnasts.Afterdominatingatthejuniorelitelevel,shewonherfirst
U.S.andworldallaroundtitlesin2013.In2015,sheclaimedarecord
thirdstraightworldallaroundtitle.Shewentontoleadthe
U.S.Olympicwomen'sgymnasticsteam,nicknamed"TheFinalFive,"
towingoldatthe2016SummerGames,anddominatedthe
competition,winninggoldinthewomen'sindividualallaround,vault
andfloorexerciseandbronzeinthebalancebeam.With19Olympic
andWorldChampionshipmedals,sheisthemostdecoratedAmerican
gymnast.

Early Life

BornonMarch14,1997,inColumbus,Ohio,gymnastSimoneBileshasemergedasachampion
inhersport.Sheandhersister,Adria,wereraisedbytheirgrandfatherRonandgrandmother
Nellie,aftertheirmothersstrugglewithsubstanceabuseproblem.
RonandNellieeventuallyofficiallyadoptedthetwogirls,andBilescallshergrandmotherMom.
NelliehasbeenaconstantsourceofsupportthroughBilessriseintheworldofcompetitive
athleticsasthegymnasttoldCNN,Sheencouragesmeandneverletsmefeeldownabout
somethingfortoolong.
Bilesdiscoveredherabilitiesatanearlyage.AccordingtotheofficialUSAGymnasticswebsite,
shevisitedagymnasticscenteronafieldtripwithherdaycaregroup,noting,WhilethereI
imitatedtheothergymnasts,andCoachRonnienoticed.Thegymsenthomealetterrequesting
thatIjointumblingorgymnastics.Verysoon,Bileswasonherwaytodevelopingthosenatural
gifts.

Top U.S. Gymnast

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SimoneBilesbegancompetingasalevel8gymnastin2007,andby2011shehadcementedher
standingatthejuniorelitelevel.Thatyear,shetookthetopspotinthevaultandbalancebeam
eventsandfinishedthirdintheallaroundattheAmericanClassic.Shefollowedwithan
impressiveseriesofshowingsin2012,winningthevaultandtheallaroundeventsatthe
AmericanClassic,theAlamoClassic,theHoustonNationalInvitationalandtheSecretU.S.
Classic.
Bilessoonemergedasaforcetobereckonedwithattheseniorelitelevel,burstingintothe
spotlightastheallaroundwinneratthe2013U.S.P&GChampionships.Alsothatyear,she
deliveredahistoricshowingattheWorldChampionshipsbybecomingthefirstfemaleAfrican
Americanathletetowingoldintheallaround.AssheexplainedtoTheHollywoodReporter,this
impressivevictorylikelyservedasanexampletootheryounggymnasts:"Ithinkitinspiresalotof
thelittlegirlsouttheretogointhegymandtrainharder,"shesaid.
Bilescontinuedtobuildonhersuccessesin2014,againtakingtheU.S.andworldtitlesintheall
aroundcompetition.Shealsowongoldinthevault,floorexercise,balancebeamandallaround
attheSecretU.S.Classicthatsameyear.Duringherfloorroutines,Bilesoftenexecutedwhathas
becomehersignaturemove:adoubleflipwithahalftwist.
In2015,Bilesbecamethefirstwomantowinherthirdconsecutiveworldallaroundtitle,giving
herarecord10goldmedalsattheinternationalcompetition.Consideredoneofthecountrystop
Olympichopefuls,shethenresumedtrainingforRio2016atWorldChampionsCentre,whichis
ownedbyherfamily,inSpring,Texas.
InJuly2016,Bileswowedgymnasticsfanswithanimpressiveperformance,winningtheall
aroundtitleandfirstinthefloorexerciseandvault.Sheearnedaspotonthe2016Olympicteam
alongwithfellowgymnastsLaurieHernandez,AlyRaisman,GabbyDouglas,andMadison
Kocian.

2016 Olympic Games in Rio

OnAugust9,2016,BilesledtheU.S.womensgymnasticsteamtowinthegold.Sheearnedan
impressive15.933inthevault,a15.3onbalancebeam,and15.8foracrowdpleasingfloor
routineinwhichsheperformedtheBiles,hersignaturemovecomprisedofadoublelayoutwith
ahalftwist.ThepowerhousegymnastsharedthevictorywithRaisman,Douglas,Hernandezand
Kocian,ateamwhichcallsthemselvesTheFinalFive.
RaismanexplainedthemeaningbehindtheteamnicknameontheTodayShow:We'retheFinal
Fivebecausethisis[coach]Marta[Karolyi's]lastOlympicsandwithouthernoneofthiswould
havebeenpossible...Wewantedtodoitforherjustbecauseshe'stherewithuseverysingle
day.
Sheadded:"ThisisthelastOlympicswherethere'safivegirlteam.ThenextOlympicsisonly
goingtobeafourpersonteam."
TheFinalFivearethethirdAmericanwomensgymnasticteamtowingold,followingteam
victoriesin1996and2012.Aftertakingtheteamgold,BilestweeteddreamsDOcometrueand
aphotooftheU.S.teamonthemedalpodium.
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BilescontinuedtodominatetheOlympiccompetition,winningthewomen'sindividualallaround
goldmedal.U.S.teammateAlyRaismanandRussiangymnastAliyaMustafinawonsilverand
bronze,respectively.WhatmadeBiles'victorytrulyhistoricalwasthatsheachieveda2.1margin
ofvictoryoverRaismanaleadthatwaslargerthananygymnastfrom1980to2012combined.
ShealsobecamethefirstwomanintwodecadestowinbacktobackOlympicallaroundand
worldtitles.
Shewentontowingoldagaininthewomen'sindividualvaultcompetitionwithascoreof15.966,
butfalteredintheindividualbalancebeamevent.Inararestumble,Bilesfoughttomaintainher
balance,scoring14.733,whichearnedherthebronzemedal.TeammateLaurieHernandez
landedthesilvermedal,andSanneWeversoftheNetherlandswongold.Therestoftheroutine
wasstillprettygood,Bilessaid,accordingtoUSAToday,soIcantbetoodisappointedin
myself.
BilescontinuedherOlympicrunintheindividualfloorexercise,takingthegoldinabrilliant
performance,whichincorporatedhersignaturemove"theBiles,"adoublelayoutwithahalftwist
andblindlanding.Withascoreof15.966,BilesearnedherfourthgoldmedalinRio.Bilesjoined
onlythreeothergymnastswhohavewonfourgoldmedalsinasingleOlympicGamesLarisa
LatyninaoftheSovietUnionin1956,VeraCaslavskaofCzechoslovakiain1968andEcaterina
SzaboofRomaniain1984.Biles'steammateRaismantookthesilverinthefloorexerciseand
AmyTinklerofGreatBritainwonbronze.
With19OlympicandWorldChampionshipmedals,Bilesmadehistoryasthemostdecorated
Americangymnast.
ArticleTitle

SimoneBilesBiography
Author

WendyMead
WebsiteName

TheBiography.comwebsite
URL

http://www.biography.com/people/simonebiles051816
AccessDate

August29,2016
Publisher

A&ETelevisionNetworks
LastUpdated

August16,2016
OriginalPublishedDate

n/a

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