Simone Biles was recently dubbed the most decorated American gymnast ever with a whopping 25 world medals. She achieved this after competing at the Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Doha, Qatar with a kidney stone that was too big to pass. The champion ended up taking home four gold medals, a silver, and a bronze. Completing her collection of gold with 14 medals–the most ever in gymnastic history, the artistic gymnast cemented her legacy as the greatest the sport has ever seen.
The world fell in love with the gymnast back in 2016 during her phenomenal performance in the Rio De Janeiro Olympic Games, where Biles gained national attention by winning the 2016 all around individual, vault and floor gold medalist, and winning gold with the final five team. Standing out from the rest with her electrifying technique and mesmerizing presence, her stellar performance almost seemed effortless. As the most decorated gymnast, Simone Biles’s professional career dates back to 2011, where the young prodigy placed third all around, fourth on floor exercise, first on vault and balance beams, and eighth on uneven bars at Houston’s American Classic.
And yet, even before then, the girl that everyone fell in love with two years ago started her early life fighting to survive. Abandoned by her father, and a mother that was unable to take care of her, She grew up in foster care. Simone was later adopted by her grandparents, and given the chance to flourish. Her love affair with gymnastics began at age six, during a day care field trip. At the tender age of eight, the champion started her official gymnastics training, sparking that relentless competitive nature we see today. Choosing home school over public school in order to train 32 hours a week, her sheer determination separated Biles from the pack even before the world knew her.
If everything goes as planned, Simone Biles will compete in the 2020 Olympics, reaffirming why she is the best in the world.
