History of Simone Biles in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 12, 2026

Simone Biles is widely regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time, celebrated for her unparalleled athleticism and technical mastery. As the most decorated gymnast in history, she has secured numerous Olympic and World Championship gold medals. Biles is known for her innovative skills, with several complex maneuvers named in her honor, pushing the boundaries of the sport. Beyond her extraordinary physical prowess, she has become a significant cultural figure, earning widespread respect for her vocal advocacy regarding athlete mental health and the importance of self-care. By prioritizing her well-being during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she sparked a global conversation about the pressures faced by elite performers. Her career is defined not only by her record-breaking collection of titles and gravity-defying performances but also by her resilience, poise, and role as an empowering leader for athletes worldwide.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

1988: Daniela Silivaș's Medal Sweep Achievement

In 1988, Daniela Silivaș achieved the milestone of winning a medal on every single apparatus at a major international competition, a feat that Simone Biles would later replicate.

1991: Shannon Miller's Qualifying Achievement

In 1991, Shannon Miller set a notable precedent in gymnastics by qualifying for the all-around and all four event finals, a benchmark that remained untouched until Simone Biles matched this feat in 2013.

1993: Shannon Miller World All-Around Title

In 1993, Shannon Miller achieved the world all-around champion title, a feat that Simone Biles would later mirror in her own career.

1994: Shannon Miller Repeat World Title

In 1994, Shannon Miller became the first American woman to repeat as the world all-around champion, setting a historical benchmark later equaled by Biles in 2014.

1996: Lilia Podkopayeva's Dual Title Achievement

In 1996, Lilia Podkopayeva became the last woman before Simone Biles to simultaneously hold individual all-around titles from both the Olympic Games and the World Championships.

March 14, 1997: Birth of Simone Arianne Biles

On March 14, 1997, Simone Arianne Biles was born; she would go on to become a world-renowned American artistic gymnast and the most decorated gymnast in history.

Others born on this day/year

2000: Ron and Nellie Biles Begin Caring for Simone

In 2000, Ron Biles and his wife Nellie Cayetano Biles stepped in to provide temporary care for Simone and her siblings in Spring, Texas, after discovering the children were in the foster care system.

2001: Beginning of Márta Károlyi's Tenure

In 2001, Márta Károlyi began her influential tenure as the National Team Coordinator for USA Gymnastics, a role she held until 2016.

2001: Svetlana Khorkina World All-Around Victory

In 2001, Svetlana Khorkina secured a world all-around title, beginning a streak that would be referenced when Biles successfully repeated as champion years later.

2003: Formal Adoption of Simone and Adria

In 2003, Ron and Nellie Biles legally finalized the adoption of Simone Biles and her younger sister, Adria, officially making them part of their family.

2003: Svetlana Khorkina Repeat World Title

In 2003, Svetlana Khorkina repeated as the world all-around champion, becoming the last woman of any nationality to achieve this milestone before Simone Biles accomplished the same feat in 2014.

2008: Hong Un Jong's Olympic Gold Medal Victory

In 2008, Hong Un Jong of North Korea established herself as a prominent figure in international gymnastics by winning an Olympic gold medal, an achievement noted during Simone Biles's later competitive rise.

2010: Aliya Mustafina's World All-Around Victory

In 2010, Aliya Mustafina achieved the title of world all-around champion; she later competed against Simone Biles during the 2013 World Championships.

July 1, 2011: Beginning of Elite Gymnastics Career at 2011 American Classic

On July 1, 2011, at the age of 14, Simone Biles officially commenced her elite gymnastics career by competing at the 2011 American Classic in Houston, where she earned a third-place finish in the all-around, first on vault and balance beam, fourth on floor exercise, and eighth on uneven bars.

2012: 2012 American Classic Performance

During the 2012 American Classic held in Huntsville, Texas, Simone Biles competed in her first meet of the year. In 2012, she achieved first place in the all-around category and on vault, earned a tie for second place on floor exercise, secured third on balance beam, and finished fourth on the uneven bars.

2012: Olympic Gold Medal Achievement

In 2012, Kyla Ross secured a gold medal at the Olympic Games, a fact noted in 2013 when she withdrew from the American Cup competition due to injuries.

2012: Transition to Home Schooling

In 2012, Simone Biles made the decision to switch from a traditional public school setting to home schooling, which enabled her to intensify her gymnastics training schedule from 20 to 32 hours per week.

2012: Biles's 2012 Competitive Season

Throughout 2012, Simone Biles competed in several high-profile events, including the American Classic, the U.S. Classic in Chicago, and the U.S. National Championships in St. Louis. Her consistent performance during these 2012 competitions led to her being named to the U.S. Junior National Team.

2013: 2013 U.S. Classic Performance and Mental Health Breakthrough

During the 2013 U.S. Classic, Simone Biles faced a difficult competition marked by falls and a minor ankle injury during the floor exercise. Following this challenging 2013 performance, Biles began working with a sports psychologist to address anxiety and confidence struggles, a step she credits as the catalyst for her subsequent historic dominance in gymnastics.

2013: 2013 U.S. National Gymnastics Championships Success

In 2013, Simone Biles achieved a significant career breakthrough by winning the all-around title at the U.S. National Gymnastics Championships. During this same 2013 competition, she also secured silver medals in all four individual events, which led to her selection for the Senior National Team and subsequently her placement on the team for the 2013 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.

2013: International Competition Success in 2013

In 2013, Simone Biles achieved major success at the City of Jesolo Trophy in Italy by winning individual titles in the all-around, vault, balance beam, and floor exercise, while also securing team gold. Later that same year, at a tri-meet in Chemnitz, Germany, she led the U.S. team to a gold medal and earned multiple individual titles, finishing second in the all-around following a fall on the uneven bars.

2013: 2013 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships Performance

In 2013, Simone Biles competed at the World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, where she became the first American gymnast since 1991 to qualify for the all-around and all four event finals. During the 2013 competition, she secured the gold medal in the individual all-around with a score of 60.216 and later underwent surgery to address bone spurs in her right tibia.

2013: 2013 World Championship Victories

In 2013, Simone Biles secured gold medals as the all-around champion and floor exercise champion, while also earning silver on the vault and bronze on the balance beam.

2013: First U.S. National All-Around Championship

In 2013, Simone Biles secured her first U.S. national all-around championship title, marking the beginning of her record-breaking domestic career.

2013: Senior International Debut at the American Cup

In March 2013, Simone Biles made her senior international debut at the FIG World Cup event known as the American Cup. Despite leading for the first two rotations, she ultimately finished in second place behind Katelyn Ohashi following a fall during the balance beam routine.

August 4, 2014: Verbal Commitment to UCLA

On August 4, 2014, Simone Biles formally announced her verbal commitment to attend the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for her collegiate gymnastics career.

November 2014: Signing of National Letter of Intent

In November 2014, Biles officially signed a National Letter of Intent to join the UCLA gymnastics program, with the original plan to defer her enrollment until after the 2016 Olympic Games.

2014: 2014 World Championship Victories

During the 2014 World Championships, Biles won gold in the all-around, floor exercise, balance beam, and team events, while taking home a silver medal in the vault competition.

2014: 2014 Competitive Season Return and Victories

During the 2014 season, after recovering from an injury that caused her to miss the AT&T American Cup and the Pacific Rim Championships, Simone Biles made a dominant return at the U.S. Classic and the USA Gymnastics National Championships, where she secured multiple all-around and individual event titles.

2014: 2014 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships Performance

In 2014, Simone Biles led the U.S. team to a gold medal at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Nanning, China, while also winning the individual all-around title, balance beam gold, and floor exercise gold, becoming the American gymnast with the most world championship gold medals at that time.

July 29, 2015: Turning Professional

On July 29, 2015, Biles announced her decision to turn professional, a move that required her to forfeit her NCAA eligibility and relinquish her plans to compete as a collegiate athlete for UCLA.

2015: 2015 World Championship Victories

In 2015, Biles achieved gold in the all-around, floor exercise, balance beam, and team categories, and earned a bronze medal in the vault event.

2015: 2015 Competitive Achievements

Throughout 2015, Simone Biles achieved multiple successes, including winning the 2015 AT&T American Cup on March 7 with a score of 62.299, receiving a nomination for the James E. Sullivan Award later that month, and securing the all-around title at the 2015 City of Jesolo Trophy.

2016: 2016 Summer Olympics Participation

By 2016, Simone Biles focused her athletic career on competing in the Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro, following her decision to forgo her collegiate athletic path.

2016: Fourth U.S. National All-Around Championship

By 2016, Simone Biles successfully defended her U.S. national all-around championship title, maintaining her dominance in the domestic gymnastics circuit.

2016: 2016 Olympic Successes

In 2016, Simone Biles achieved significant success at the Olympic Games, securing gold medals in the individual all-around, vault, and floor exercise, while also leading the U.S. team known as the "Final Five" to a gold medal victory and earning a bronze medal on the balance beam.

2016: Conclusion of Márta Károlyi's Tenure

Márta Károlyi, who played a key role in naming Biles to the U.S. Junior National Team, finished her term as the National Team Coordinator for USA Gymnastics in 2016.

2017: First Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

In 2017, Simone Biles was recognized for her athletic excellence by receiving the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award for the first time.

2018: 2018 World Championship Victories

In 2018, Biles claimed gold medals in the all-around, floor exercise, vault, and team categories, supplemented by a silver medal on the uneven bars and a bronze medal on the balance beam.

2018: Fifth U.S. National All-Around Championship and Historic Sweep

In 2018, Biles won her fifth U.S. national all-around title and became the only woman to win all five gold medals in a single championships, a feat she accomplished during that year.

2019: 2019 World Championship Victories

At the 2019 World Championships, Biles successfully won gold medals in the all-around, floor exercise, balance beam, vault, and team events.

2019: Second Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

Biles achieved the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award for the second time in 2019, highlighting her sustained performance.

2019: Sixth U.S. National All-Around Championship

Simone Biles continued her competitive success in 2019 by earning her sixth U.S. national all-around championship title.

2020: 2020 Olympic Struggles and Resilience

At the 2020 Summer Olympics, Biles won a bronze medal on the balance beam and a silver medal with the "Fighting Four" U.S. team, but notably withdrew from most events due to experiencing "the twisties," which affected her performance in 2020.

2020: Third Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

In 2020, Biles was once again named the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year, marking her third time receiving this honor.

2021: Seventh U.S. National All-Around Championship

In 2021, Biles achieved her seventh U.S. national all-around championship title, further cementing her status in the sport.

2022: Presidential Medal of Freedom Award

In 2022, Simone Biles was honored by President Joe Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her contributions and impact.

2023: Eighth U.S. National All-Around Championship

Biles returned to the podium in 2023 to capture her eighth U.S. national all-around championship title.

2023: 2023 World Championship Victories

In 2023, Biles returned to the World Championships to win gold in the all-around, floor exercise, balance beam, and team events, along with a silver medal on the vault.

2023: Eighth U.S. Gymnastics Title

In 2023, Biles secured her eighth U.S. Gymnastics title, successfully breaking a long-standing 90-year record previously held by Alfred Jochim.

2024: 2024 Olympic Achievements

During the 2024 Olympic Games, Biles earned gold medals in the individual all-around and vault, a silver medal in the floor exercise, and led the U.S. team, referred to as the "Golden Girls," to a gold medal finish in 2024.

2024: Laureus Comeback of the Year

In 2024, Simone Biles received the Laureus Comeback of the Year award, celebrating her successful return to elite competition.

2024: Record-Breaking Ninth U.S. National All-Around Championship

In 2024, Simone Biles won her ninth U.S. national all-around title, becoming the oldest female gymnast to win the title while also repeating her feat of winning all five gold medals in a single championships for the second time.