Simone Biles, 18-year-old from Spring, Texas, won a third national gymnastics championship Saturday night to a medals collection that also includes the last two world all-around titles, under a banner marked “Countdown to Rio!”
Even though she’s a fan favorite, her coaches don’t want her to become distracted with the attention.
“We never want this to happen to Simone,” said national team coordinator Martha Karolyi, who said the trick for Biles now was to avoid getting distracted “by being named Superman, or whatever.”
Biles, for her part, seems happy to show Karolyi she’s mastering that too. Going into the national championships, she still said that as far as Rio goes, her eyes were just on “making the team.” In 2013, the first year she became a senior, she had said she’d hoped to make the world team but didn’t expect to win the all-around title there. Nor did she think she would be able to repeat that fluke a year later, until she did it.
Biles doesn’t pay much attention to the media surrounding her, and her coach just wants to keep her injury free.
“She doesn’t really see herself as being amazing,” said her personal coach, Aimee Boorman. “My biggest thing is that it falls on my shoulders to keep her safe,” meaning injury-free, she said.
Image Credit: Getty Images
August 17, 2015 -
Yes!!
August 17, 2015 -
Congrats to Simone Biles. I can’t wait until the Olympics!!!
August 17, 2015 -
Congratulations to Simone Biles.
August 17, 2015 -
So she’s the new thing? Cool, I’ll look for her in Rio! Greatest thing about the Olympics is how you can become completely absorbed in the story and triumph of people in a sport you’ve never watched in the last 4 years. I love to see black kids in gymnastics though, because it’s eroding down a wall that previously limited kids due to wealth and I’m sure other factors.
August 17, 2015 -
This young lady is amazing! I’m telling you, when Black people do something, we do it the BEST!
August 17, 2015 -
Preach Sister. We are the first to do it and we do it well.
August 17, 2015 -
Yes we are, Truth.
August 17, 2015 -
I feel you Sister.
August 18, 2015 -
The passing of our sister elder is sad. She lived a good, long life. Our civil rights veterans are dying off one by one, but thankfully, they’ve left such an indelible legacy showing the newer generation examples of fighting the good fight while they add their own touches.
August 18, 2015 -
You’re right Sister. The elder heroes of our people are passing away and they gave us a great blueprint for the younger generation to be inspired by. The Sister, who was a veteran, lived a long, blessed life. Also, we will always honor the sacrifice of of others, so we can be further motivated to continue onward in the fight for liberation and justice. We will honor our elders and express our unique flavor as part of a younger generation.
August 18, 2015 -
Let the church say, “Amen.”
August 18, 2015 -
Thank you Sister.
August 18, 2015 -
You’re welcome, Truth.
August 19, 2015 -
You are more than welcome, Truth.
August 18, 2015 -
Yes, sir, we sure do!
August 21, 2015 -
Congrats