Over the last year, our own Contributing Writer Tia Shah, has been writing an amazing column about trailblazing girls throughout history. This new Incredible Girls column is in that vein, only this column is about contemporary girls under the age of 25 who are doing awe-inspiring and significant things in the world. Every Friday in 2019, we are going to post a column detailing the life of an Incredible Girl and why you should know about her. Read on for a glimpse into the life of world renowned gymnast, Simone Biles.
22-year-old Simone Biles is the most decorated American gymnast and was part of the “Final Five” gold-medal-winning team at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The 4 foot 8 inch dynamo started gymnastics in 2003 and was one of the youngest on the 2016 team. Simone owns the most world medals in U.S. history (14) and the most world championships gold medals (10) of any female gymnast.
She is the first American gymnast to win a World medal on every event, a feat achieved at the World Artistic Gymnastics last year. She has won a combined total of 25 Olympic and World Championship medals throughout her career. Simone has not lost an all-around competition in six years. Last weekend, at the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, she successfully landed a triple-twisting double somersault — one that no women, and only two men in the world have aced.
During the Championships, she also won a record-tying sixth U.S. championship, as well as gold medals on vault, floor and balance beam. The Washington Post said: “She proved herself a once-in-a-generation talent at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she won four gold medals (team, all around, vault and floor). Then, after taking a one-year sabbatical from training and competition, she has propelled herself into a higher orbit.”
I have so much admiration and respect for Simone — she is a brilliant, outspoken, world class athlete, and I can’t wait to see her (inevitably) lead the U.S. Gymnastics Team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics!
For more on Simone, read this and this.
-Sage Daugherty
Associate Editor
Girl Museum Inc.