Gymnastics Biography

Although she's just four feet, 11 inches tall, Gabby Douglas made a larger-than-life impact on the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Gabby dominated the gymnastics all-around competition with her flawless execution and amazingly high flips, winning gold by a landslide. In early 2012, this pint-sized powerhouse was ready to quit gymnastics for good, but she kept going. Competing at the Olympics at just 16 years old, she became the best female gymnast in the world. Hear about this incredible athlete's journey from Virginia Beach to London gold.

Black women are a force in the gymnastics world. But it wasn't until 1992 that Betty Okino and Dominique Dawes became the first Black women to compete in the Olympics for Team USA. Learn about the Black gymnasts and coaches of the past and present who have made historic firsts, including Simone Biles, Sloane Blakely, and Corrinne Tarver. Then discover how Black women in gymnastics are making a difference on and off the mat.

When Simone Biles was just six years old, she began practicing gymnastics. And it was clear that she would be a star. In her teens, she entered her first world competition and her first Olympics, where she took home four gold medals! Biles has made a name for herself both in and out of the gym. Follow her journey from practicing in Texas to performing on the world's stages as the GOAT.

In 2021, Simone Biles shocked the world when she pulled out of the Tokyo Olympic Games after experiencing the "twisties" -- a scary feeling during which gymnasts lose control of their bodies while mid-air. Audiences had expected Simone to dominate these games. With seven Olympic medals, twenty-five World Championships medals, and four gymnastic skills named after her, she is considered to be the G.O.A.T. of women’s gymnastics.

Simone Biles has been called the greatest gymnast of all time, winning five Olympic and 25 World Champion medals by age 22. Before she wowed the world with her incredible gymnastics skills, Simone was an energetic young girl who dreamed of becoming a top gymnast. She trained for hours every day and made many sacrifices to pursue her goals. Explore how Simone Biles went from being a kid growing up in Texas to an Olympic athlete who has won more gymnastics medals than anyone in history.