Simone Biles has captured the hearts of Americans in the recent Rio Olympics. The 4 foot 9 gymnast swept through the competition and ended her Rio run with a total four gold medals. With that feat, she has set the record for most gold medals in women's gymnastics at a singles game. Now, she is adding another achievement with the release of her book "Courage to Soar".
The record-breaking gymnast credits her faith as instrumental in her success. Having been abandoned by her father, and with her mother addicted to alcohol, Simone Biles, along with some of her siblings were adopted and raised by her maternal grandfather and his second wife. When not competing, she regularly goes to church with her grandparents.
Biles is a Catholic, and in her Olympic bag is a white rosary which signifies her devotion to her faith. She has already claimed that she regularly lights a candle to St. Sebastian, the patron saint of athletes, before she competes for big events, such as Rio 2016.
Her road to Rio and to success was not without its bumps. She had to withdraw from the US Classics gymnast meet for twisting her ankle. But she trained her hard and it all paid off. She is the first woman to be crowned the all-around world champion for three years straight. She is also the most medaled American gymnast, boasting a total of 14 world championships.
Simone is known for The Biles, a move that she has invented. The signature move, done on the floor where many claim she shines, features a double half layout with a full twist. She is the first to attempt this and she has set the bar very high for the next one who wore would like to create their own signature move. The Biles features a blind landing, and she does this move consistently well, a testament to her skills as a gymnast.
Simone's new book entitled "Courage To Soar: A Body In Motion, A Life In Balance", has recently been released and in it, she tells the story of her life, from the time she was in foster care up to her recent competition in the Rio Olympics. She has also tackled some relevant issues, such as body-shaming. She relates a story when a coach called her fat when she fell on the mat after her routine.
In a recent interview, Biles has opened up about her ADHD diagnosis, claiming that she never saw it as a disability, and thinks that it's a cool thing to have all that energy.
