Simone Biles

Ancestors

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Biography

Simone Biles is an American gymnast and Olympian. She is the most decorated gymnast in history.^[1]

Simone Arianne Biles was born in Columbus, Ohio on March 14th, 1997.^[2][3] She is the biological daughter of Shanon Biles. Simone and her sister Adria were adopted and raised by their grandfather, Ron Biles, and step-grandmother Nellie in 2003 when Simone was six years old after being in and out of foster care for several years. Two older siblings were adopted by Ron's sister in Ohio.^[4][3]

After the adoption, Simone gained two brothers - Ron and Nellie's sons who were teenagers at the time. Their family lived in Spring, Texas, near Houston. They were close as she grew up, with Sunday dinners being an important family time even as Simone and her siblings became young adults.^[4][3][2]

Simone first tried gymnastics in 2003 at age 6. Her elite career began at the American Classic in Houston in 2011, where she placed first on vault and beam, third on all-around, fourth on floor exercise and eighth on uneven bars. She would go on to become the most decorated gymnast in history, including four Olympic gold medals and 19 gold medals from the World Championships. She has received numerous other awards and recognitions,^[2][5] including receiving a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022 for her athletic accomplishments and advocacy on issues like athletes' mental health and safety, children in foster care and victims of sexual assault.^[6]

Simone married NFL player Jonathan Owens in 2023. They were legally married Houston in Harris County, Texas in April before their destination marriage in Cabo, Mexico on May 6, 2023.^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simone_Biles
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} "About Simone Arianne Biles," https://simonebiles.com/about/ (Official Website) : accessed 27 Oct 2022.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Will Graves, "As Rio nears, gymnastics' Biles is ready to take charge," 22 Oct 2015, https://sports.yahoo.com/news/rio-nears-gymnastics-biles-ready-charge-064459387--spt.html : accessed 27 Oct 2022.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Nancy Armour, "How Simone Biles went from foster care to Olympic great," USA Today, 23 Jul 2021, https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2021/07/23/2021-olympics-how-simone-biles-went-foster-care-olympic-great/7931081002/ : accessed 27 Oct 2022.
5. ↑ "Simone Biles," USA Gymnastics, https://usagym.org/pages/athletes/athleteListDetail.html?id=164887 : accessed 27 Oct 2022.
6. ↑ The White House, "President Biden Announces Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom," 1 Jul 2022, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/07/01/president-biden-announces-recipients-of-the-presidential-medal-of-freedom/ : accessed 27 Oct 2022.
7. ↑ Alexandra Macon, "Inside Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens’s Wedding in Cabo," Vogue, 8 May 2023, https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/simone-biles-and-jonathan-owens-wedding : accessed 5 Aug 2023).

See also:

• Wikidata: Item Q7520267