Simone Biles is someone who needs no introduction. A firebrand gymnast, a vociferous mental health advocate and so much more exemplify her. As of 2024, she’s become a household name in the field, having won seven Olympic medals. But her journey wasn’t as smooth sailing as it seemed. To reach this success, she had to overcome challenges. As she said when she withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics because of twisties in 2020, ‘I’m fighting demons. I’m fighting demons right now.‘ Yet, she made a powerful comeback last year, showing the world what she’s truly made of.
As Simone Biles prepares for Paris 2024, her readiness shines through. Yet, amidst her anticipation of the upcoming Olympics, one might wonder: how did she perform in her debut Olympics? Despite her numerous world championship gold medals, her first Olympics took place in Rio de Janeiro at the age of 19 in 2016. The question lingers: did she excel on that grand stage as she does now? Or did she feel overwhelmed?
Behind the gold, Simone Biles’ inner turmoil within
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In the 2016 Olympics held in Rio, Simone Biles spearheaded the American gymnastics team to triumph in the team all-around competition. Subsequently, she clinched the gold in the individual all-around event, outpacing her teammate and team captain, Aly Raisman, the silver medalist, by a remarkable two full points. However, during a candid interview on “Call Her Daddy” with Alex Cooper, Biles delved into the complexities of her mindset following the 2016 Olympics, as she grappled with a profound sense of uncertainty.
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She confessed her initial reaction to her triumph, revealing a mix of awe and apprehension. She confessed, “Well, to me, I thought that’s where it ended. And I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, how did I reach my greatest achievement in life at 19? I was scared for the rest of my life. Like how can I beat this? How can I top this? What the heck am I gonna do? I won the Olympics, like, it’s gonna be a sh*t hole from here on out.’” Despite her initial doubts, Biles recognized the rarity of her achievement, acknowledging that many athletes never experience the Olympics, let alone win a medal.
She acknowledged the magnitude of her accomplishment, stating, “Most people don’t get to go to more than one Olympics or do those things. So, at one point, I was like, I did. This is my greatest. Like, this is the greatest thing that I wanted to achieve in my life. And then I was like, I did it at 19.“ It’s fascinating to know that the journey of this Texas native began at a young age.
Simone Biles might be gymnastics’ more cerebral prodigy thus far
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Starting gymnastics classes at just 6 years old, she swiftly progressed, earning an invite to the junior national team camp by the age of 14. By the age of 19 she had already realized her aspiration. Nonetheless, Rio was the start of her journey, in the Olympics. Presently she holds titles as a six-time World, around champion a six-time World floor exercise champion, a four-time World balance beam champion and a two-time World vault champion.
In 2019, Biles created a moment by setting a record, for the most medals won at the World Championships in gymnastics. She surpassed Vitaly Scherbo’s record by claiming her 25th medal and has since accumulated an additional five totaling an impressive 30. It is worth noting that Biles also holds the record for world-around titles and stands out as one of the few to achieve individual all-around victories at both the World Championships and the Olympic Games.
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