Simone Biles’ Sister Was Forced to Quit Gymnastics Despite Winning
Credits Jessica Frankl
Credits Jessica Frankl
Being the gymnastics icon she is, Simone Biles once revealed how her sister could also share the same glory, but had to give up due to a shocking reason.
“My sister did gymnastics until she was about like 17. She was a level 9 gymnast, training level 10,” Biles revealed in 2021, in a YouTube video by Glamour. “She quit because of the pressure, and everybody compared her to me. And she used to win a lot of the competitions, too.”
Training diligently, showcasing winning performances and still being compared to her own sister led Adria Biles to quit in 2016, even though she started doing gymnastics at 9 and competed at the junior elite level.
Aug 7, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Simone Biles (USA) performs the balance beam during women's gymnastic qualifications in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Rio Olympic Arena. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 7, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Simone Biles (USA) performs the balance beam during women's gymnastic qualifications in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Rio Olympic Arena. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
“People thought that wasn't fair. She was just tired of people talking about it whenever she went to competitions,” Biles added. “Like, ‘Oh, her sister always wins, she always wins. That's not fair.’ So, she quit.”
While Biles went on to become the greatest gymnast of this era, Adria wrapped up her gymnastics career and pursued a future in dance and dental hygiene. She had been a member of the Houston Astros' Shooting Stars.
This speaks volumes about the existing pressure of competition in any sport. However, Simone Biles confirmed that it was never the case for her.
Simone Biles Did Not Have a Competitive Nature
Unlike those who wanted the sisters to constantly compete and be better than the other, Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, was indifferent about this approach. Gymnastics was never about competition to her.
“I'm actually not very competitive at all,” she revealed. “In the gym or like in a competition, my goal is never to win. It just kind of happens. But I also feel like whenever you're at the top, everybody like prays on your downfall, which is really strange to me.”
With 11 Olympic and 30 World Championship medals under her belt, Biles’ skill set and stardom both remain untouched to this date. But having the sibling duo at the elite level would have been a great sight.
Can you name a successful athlete duo who made it big? Let us know in the comments.
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Written by
Deblina Roy