Convocation flips out for Simone
Olympic gymnast Simone Biles talks about her past and olympic experience
INTERVIEW — During convocation, Simone Biles was interviewed by David Nasser and long-time friend Emily Oglesby.
Photo Credit: Leah Seavers
Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, who took home four gold medals and one bronze as a part of “The Final Five” this past summer in Rio de Janeiro, shared about her upbringing, faith and experience in Rio at Liberty University’s Convocation Friday, Jan. 27.
The 19-year-old became the most decorated American gymnast with 19 Olympic and World Championship medals, including wins in the women’s individual all-around and the vault and floor exercises in Rio.
Biles, who also spoke about how she spent time in foster care before being adopted by her grandparents at age four, said her journey in gymnastics began with a daycare field trip to a gym, where she “fell in love with the sport of gymnastics.”
“I started copying the older girls in the back, which were the team girls,” Biles said.
“One of the coaches spotted me, and that actually turned out to be my coach’s mom — the one who coached me at the Olympics.”
Biles said she never had to be pushed by her parents to practice, as she was the one who dragged them to practice, even when
she was sick.
“I was the one that drove myself,” Biles said.
“It was never a question of, ‘Simone, are you sure you wanna do this?’ or ‘How far do you wanna take it?’ It was always me telling my parents, ‘I think I wanna do this.’”
Her diligence and aptitude for the sport led her to Rio this past summer, where she had the chance to live in the Olympic Village with the top athletes in the world.
She said some of the athletes rarely slept, as they continued their strict training regimens throughout the competitions, and when she looked out her balcony, she would see speed walkers, runners and sprinters in their preparation.
When her events arrived, Biles had to cope with the mental pressure of performing for the world, an element she credits her faith for helping her overcome.
“My faith is very important,” Biles said.
“I think it’s special for me, even going out into the competition I’d be praying in my head, praying for my health on each event that I would stay focused and not get too distracted because it was the Olympics.”
At the conclusion of the Games, Biles became the first female American gymnast to hold the American flag at the closing ceremonies, an opportunity she called “an amazing honor.”
“I was a little nervous to carry it because it’s twice my size,” Biles said.
“I saw Michael Phelps in the opening (ceremony) holding it, and I’m like, ‘OK, he did that pretty easily,’ and I thought the wind was going to blow me over because it was so giant.”
During her visit, members of the Liberty gymnastics club team had the opportunity to meet Biles.
One such member was sophomore worship studies student Aaron Watson, who said he watched all of Biles’ events last summer.
“It was just phenomenal to see her strive to do her best,” Watson said.
“The never-give-up attitude was fantastic. The way she competed, you could tell she put everything she had into it, and the form was fantastic.”
The team was gearing up for their first competition, and hearing from Biles gave them an extra dose of inspiration.
“She was wishing us luck, which I thought was really cool, to have an Olympian say, ‘Good luck at your first competition,’”
Watson said.