Celebrated as one of the most decorated athletes, Simone Biles has etched her name in history with her achievements. 2013 saw her emerge victorious in the Olympics. Since then, the star has been a household favorite. Even after her stint at the Tokyo Olympics, where she walked away from the stage owing to mental health issues, fans stood by her decision. And now, after an epic comeback at the World Championships, Biles has only sparked more excitement surrounding her return.
Simone Biles as fans know her
The gymnast had it rough in her childhood. Born to a mother who suffered from addiction and being abandoned, she and her four siblings found their way to foster homes. Eventually, grandparents Nellie and Ronald Biles adopted Simone and her sister Adria.
The star gymnast began her longtime tryst with the sport at the age of 6, when she first witnessed gymnastics during a day trip. Since then, Biles has been inseparable from the bars and beams to the extent that her parents ended up building a gym for her. The gym now hosts many aspiring gymnasts who aim to make it big like Biles.
Now, after multiple gold medals and Olympic appearances, the 26-year-old takes pride in mentoring young gymnasts and spending time with her family. Married to NFL icon Jonathan Owens in a lavish ceremony, Biles loves to support him from the sidelines during his matches.
Little-known facts about Simone Biles
Despite her popularity among the masses, the bubbly gymnast has many fun facts about her that fans may or may not know about. Starting from some of her quirks surrounding the sport, the gymnast has an entire turtle collection that she keeps up for good luck. She sometimes also carries a statue of Saint Sebastian, the patron saint of athletes, during matches.
When it comes to her personal preferences, Biles once stated how she did not like cats and was afraid of spiders. Tragically, her dislike for cats was probably because of a childhood incident involving her neighborhood cat being well-fed while she and her siblings starved with their biological mother. On the bright side, the star loves dogs, grew up with German Shepherds, and now has two French Bulldogs.
Biles also grew up with a crush on Hollywood star Zac Efron. While she couldn’t sing and avoided activities like karaoke, she loved dancing both on the gymnastics floor and at the club. Tying up her love for music in general, the Olympian even admitted to listening to songs while preparing for performances along with her teammates.
What about her quirks surrounding sports?
In an interview with Vogue once, the gymnastics GOAT revealed some surprising facts surrounding gymnastics and other sports. If there was one sport she wished she could learn, it would be snowboarding. When it came to her field, Biles has five gymnastics moves named after her – one on the balance beam, two on the floor exercise, and two on the vault.
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Another interesting thing about her gymnastics outfit is that while she has her apparel line associated with ‘GK Elite’, her competition leotards have a special feature. Amidst all the bling, her costumes often have the head of a goat made out of rhinestones to signify her status in the sport.
Such is Biles’ legacy that the newer generation also looks up to her contributions to the sport. With many upcoming gymnasts who keep her close as a mentor, friend, and inspiration, the star’s high position is justified. And that’s why she’s one of the most successful sportspersons to make it to the top.
