Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Simone Biles
Allow us to introduce the most decorated gymnast of all time: Simone Biles. She has a whopping 25 World Championship medals and seven Olympic medals to her name, and the trailblazing athlete has won us over with her incredible gymnastics skills. So, it comes as no surprise that many have crowned her the greatest female gymnast in history.
After trying her hand at gymnastics at just six years old, Biles joined a training program at Bannon's Gymnastics. But it wasn't until 2011, at the age of age 14, when she started her professional career. After competing at the junior elite level, Biles made her senior international debut at the 2013 American Cup. And by 2015, the star athlete became the first woman to win three consecutive world all-around titles.
Biles's standout routines earned her a spot on the 2016 USA Olympic team. And during the Summer Olympics, she won her first gold medal—thanks in part to a stellar floor routine that included her signature double layout with a half twist (AKA The Biles).
The Texas native took a two-year hiatus from gymnastics and published her autobiography, Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance. During that time, she also participated in Dancing with the Stars, finishing in fourth place with her partner Sasha Farber.
In 2018, Biles returned to gymnastics with a bang, making history as the first female gymnast to win all five events at the U.S. national championships. This was also the year when she became the most decorated female gymnast in world championships history, winning four golds medals, one silver and one bronze.
The star athlete has since grown to become a mental health advocate, following her withdrawal from the team at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and has landed a number of lucrative partnerships. But on a more personal note, Biles is engaged to football player Jonathan Owens, whom she dated for nearly two years—and they couldn't look happier.
Keep thriving, Simone.