What was Simone Biles childhood like?

Simone Biles began competing as a level 8 gymnast in 2007, and by 2011 she had cemented her standing at the junior elite level. That year, she took the top spot in the vault and balance beam events and finished third in the all-around at the American Classic. read more

Simone is third of the four siblings; the others being Ashley, Tevin, and Adria. Adria Biles is also a gymnast. Simone was brought up by her grandfather, Ron Biles (Shanon’s father), and his wife, Nellie Cayetano Biles. Ron is a former air traffic controller. Nellie is a nurse and a former co-owner of a chain of nursing homes in the USA. read more

Mrs Biles says Simone had to be mentally strong from a very early age, saying she behaved like a ‘little mum’ in their home because her biological mother had never been able to look after them. ‘She made decisions for herself and her sister because this was all they knew,’ she explained. read more