American · Columbus, Ohio · Born 14 March 1997American artistic gymnast widely considered the greatest of all time with 7 Olympic golds and 30 World Championship medals including 23 golds.
Thirty World Championship medals, five skills bearing her name in the sport's Code of Points, and gold medals across two Olympic campaigns separated by a Tokyo withdrawal that changed the global conversation around athlete mental health make Simone Biles the most transformative figure in gymnastics history. She began gymnastics at age six during a daycare field trip to Bannon's Gymnastix, where coach Aimee Boorman recognized her natural talent. By age eight, Biles was training competitively, quickly progressing through the junior ranks with her exceptional power and athleticism. Biles burst onto the international scene in 2013, winning her first World Championship all-around title at age 16. She dominated the sport throughout the 2010s, capturing five World all-around titles across two stretches of dominance (2013-2015 and 2018-2019), then a sixth in 2023 during her comeback. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, she won four gold medals in the team, all-around, vault, and floor exercise events, plus bronze on beam. Her performances were marked by unprecedented difficulty and execution, establishing her as the sport's premier athlete. The Tokyo 2020 Olympics presented unexpected challenges when Biles withdrew from five events citing "the twisties," a dangerous condition where gymnasts lose spatial awareness mid-air. She returned to compete on balance beam, earning bronze and demonstrating remarkable courage under pressure. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she reclaimed Olympic all-around gold and added team gold, cementing her comeback. Biles holds the record as the most decorated gymnast in World Championship history with 30 medals, including 23 gold. Five skills bear her name in the Code of Points, testament to her innovative contributions to the sport. Beyond athletics, she courageously testified before Congress in 2021 regarding abuse by former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, becoming an advocate for athlete safety and mental health awareness. Universally regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time, Biles revolutionized the sport through her unparalleled skill level and her willingness to prioritize mental health. Her influence extends far beyond gymnastics, inspiring athletes across all sports to speak openly about psychological well-being and personal boundaries.
Most decorated gymnast in World Championship history with 30 medals
Five gymnastics skills have been named after her — the most of any gymnast in history.
Did You Know?How They Played
Explosive power, exceptional height on tumbling passes, innovative skills named after her, unmatched consistency on all four events
Lasting Impact
Revolutionized gymnastics with unprecedented power and difficulty, inspiring new generation of athletes while advocating for mental health awareness
Career Honours
- Olympic Gold 7x
- World Champion Gold 23x
- Olympic All-Around Champion 2016
- Olympic Beam Bronze 2016
- World All-Around Champion 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2023
- Presidential Medal of Freedom 2022
- Olympic Beam Bronze 2020
- Olympic All-Around Gold 2024
- Olympic Team Gold 2024
- Olympic Vault Gold 2024
- Olympic Floor Silver 2024
- 8x US All-Around Champion
American Athletes