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The 2020 Olympic Games opened in Tokyo on July 23rd. The opening marked a somber milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic. The postponement of the games in 2020 and uncertainty surrounding whether conditions would be optimal in Japan for the competition loomed large over the proceedings. The Olympics is a time-honored ritual celebrating the accomplishments of the world’s best athletes. No athlete is more celebrated than Simone Biles. Biles is the most decorated gymnast of all time with a combined total of 31 Olympic and World championship medals. At the outset of the Olympics, commentators ranked Biles as the favorite to medal in at least five events. Fate, however, had a different set of scenarios in mind. On July 27th, Biles pulled out of the team competition. She attributed her inability to participate to mental health challenges and “twisties,” a loss of air awareness. She has subsequently withdrawn from the vault, floor and uneven and parallel bar events as well. Today, Biles announced she will compete in the balance beam final on Tuesday. Nonetheless, the story of Simone Biles encompasses more than this one competition. It is a story of excellence unparalleled in the history of gymnastics.
Simone Ariana Biles was born in 1997 in Columbus, Ohio. Her gymnastic talents emerged at an early age. Biles visited a gymnastics center as a young child. While there, she imitated the actions of the gymnasts gaining their attention of the gymnastics coach. The coach immediately sent a note home encouraging her parents to allow her to enroll in tumbling or gymnastics. Biles competed as a level 8 gymnast in 2007 and in 2011 reached the junior elite level. The same year, Biles finished first in the vault and balance beams events and third in the all-around at the American Classic. She posted similar performances in 2012 at various gymnastic events including the American Classic, the Alamo Classic, the Houston National Invitational and the Secret U.S. Classic.
Biles achieved her breakthrough performance at the 2013 World Championships. She became the first female African American to win gold in the all-around. She built on this success in 2014 by winning the gold in the vault, floor exercise balance beam and all-around at the Secret U.S. Classic. In 2015, Biles became the first woman to win three consecutive world all-around titles. This meant she had won 10 gold medals at the international competition. Biles then began training for the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro.
In Rio, Biles distinguished herself again. As team leader, she led the US Team to win the gold. She earned impressive scores in all her routines: vault, balance beam and floor routine. As part of her floor routine, she performed her double layout with a half twist, which is her signature gymnastic move. During the individual floor exercise, she won her fourth gold medal. With this win, Biles joined the company of only three other gymnasts who have won four gold medals.
In 2018, Biles continued to dominate the sport. She won all four events at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships. She also earned the distinction of being the first gymnast to accomplish a double-double dismount from the balance beam and to nail a triple-double in the floor exercise. In 2019, Biles claimed her fifth individual all-around gold at the World Championships.
Biles’ rise to fame has not been without controversy and challenges. One of the most significant occurred in In 2018 when she revealed she was among the many young women abused by Larry Nassar, USA team doctor for the women’s national gymnastics team. . Nassar was subsequently charged with child pornography and criminal sexual conduct. He assaulted more than 265 young women. He was sentenced to more than 60 years in federal prison and between 40 to 125 years in Michigan State prison. Another challenge involved her brother, Tevin Biles Thomas. Thomas was arrested and charged with triple homicide. Thomas been subsequently acquitted of all charges.
Controversy and challenges notwithstanding, Biles continues to make her mark in the world of gymnastics. Prior to the 2020 Olympics, she became the first woman to successfully land the Yutchenko double pike at the GK US Classic in Indianapolis, Indiana. The maneuver involves a roundoff onto the springboard, a back handspring onto the vault and ends with a backflip to the landing.
Despite her current case of the “twisties,” Simon Biles remains the most dynamic and decorated gymnast in the world today. The world will get to see how perform in at least one gymnastics event at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. She will no doubt continue to be a fan favorite and dominate the sport for the rest of the decade.