Skip to content
  • Essence GU
  • Beautycon
  • NaturallyCurly
  • Afropunk
  • Essence Studios
  • Soko Mrkt
  • Ese Funds
  • Refinery29
  • 2025 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Entrepreneurship
  • News
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
  • Subscribe
Home • News

17 Things To Know About U.S. Olympic Gymnast Simone Biles

With Simone making her mark in Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympics, here are 17 things you need to know about the 19-year-old gymnast. 
17 Things To Know About U.S. Olympic Gymnast Simone Biles
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
By Rachaell Davis · Updated October 27, 2020

Talented gymnast Simone Biles has achieved her goal of being chosen as one of five extraordinary young women who will represent the United States at the 2016 Olympic games in Rio this August and now the world can’t quite get enough of her.

As we prepare to cheer on Simone, Gabby Douglas and the entire group, here are a few facts about the history-making teen set to lead the U.S. team to victory next month

Gymnast Simone Biles Becomes First Woman To Win 4 Consecutive National Championships In 42 Years

1. She is 19 years old.

2. She first began competing at the age of 7.

3. In 2014, she verbally committed to attend UCLA .

4. She is 4’9″ tall.

5. Simone is one of two African-American women and one of three minority women recently named to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team.

6. She was the world championship team all around beam and floor champion in 2014.

7. She is the first woman since 1974 to win 4 gold medals at a single world championship match.

8. She has a younger sister named Adria who is also a gymnast.

9. She holds record for most gold medals won by a female gymnast in the history of the World Championships (she has 10 total).

10. She has a move named after her called “The Biles,” which is a double layout with a half turn.

11. She was adopted by her grandparents at age 6.

12. She was named Individual Sportsperson of the Year by the Women’s Sports Foundation in 2014.

13. She is originally from Columbus, Ohio.

14. She is the first woman to win three consecutive all-around championships.

15. One of her goals as a child was to be featured on the cover of a gymnastics magazine.

16. She recently graced the cover of Teen Vogue alongside Gabby Douglas.

17. In May of 2016, Simone and her family opened a community gym where she now trains.