Simone Biles

Simone Arianne Biles was born on March 14, 1997, in Columbus, Ohio. She entered foster care as an infant and was later adopted by her maternal grandfather, Ron Biles, and his wife, Nellie, who raised her in Spring, Texas. She began training in gymnastics at a young age and quickly displayed exceptional talent, progressing through junior ranks to elite competition. Biles won her first senior World all-around title in 2013 and rapidly accumulated World Championship medals, becoming known for extraordinary power, consistency, and for performing skills of unprecedented difficulty for women’s gymnastics. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, she led the U.S. team to gold and won individual Olympic gold medals in the all-around, vault, and floor exercise, finishing the Games with four golds and one bronze. After becoming the dominant figure at World Championships, Biles faced public challenges including withdrawing from portions of the Tokyo 2020 (held 2021) Olympic competition citing mental-health concerns, a highly visible stance that prompted broad discussion on athlete welfare. She continued to compete domestically and internationally, adding further World titles and remaining an influential figure in gymnastics policy and athlete advocacy. Biles returned to top-level competition, winning additional World and Olympic medals and surpassing long-standing records to become the most decorated gymnast (World + Olympic medals) in history, while also originating multiple eponymous skills on vault, beam, and floor that carry her name in the Code of Points. Off the competition floor, she has engaged in endorsements, business ventures, public speaking, and activism around athlete safety, mental resilience, and empowering younger athletes.