Thursday, March 12, 2015

Gymnast of the Day: Simone Biles

As I wait nervously for my English teacher to take a look at my rough draft of my research paper, I decided to calm myself by writing about what I love, gymnastics. So, lets do a Gymnast of the Day on 2x World All-Around Champion, Simone Biles. It is also important to note that Simone and her coach Aimee Boorman left Bannons Gymnastix in pursuit to  open their own gym, World Championship Centre. And, it was a great move for Simone, because thats how she won all her golds, and became known as $imoney.



   Simone Biles was raised by her grandparents, Nellie and Ronald. She has a few siblings, one of which is also a gymnast, Adria. Simone began her career in 2011, as a junior. At the American Classic, Simone placed third in the all around, and won vault and beam, she also placed 4th on the vault and the Uneven Bars. Now, she wasn't as lucky at the U.S Junior Classics, where she placed fifth on the balance beam and floor exercise. Simone then ended her season by tying for seventh place on the vault at Nationals. Even though she didn't look like it in 2011, later on, Simone would start becoming the girl we know her as now.



   Once again, the first meet of Simone's season, was the American Classic. She did much better at the 2012 American Classic than at the one in 2011. Here, she won the all-around for the junior session, she also won vault. She then tied second for floor, placed third on balance beam, and placed fourth on vault, meaning that she got two golds, one silver, and one bronze, in addition to placing on her worst event. This means, that Simone is truly on the rise. The next meet that our girl, Simone would compete at would be, once again, the Junior U.S Classics. But once again, she did better at that meet in 2012 then she did in 2011. She won the all around competition, and the vault. She placed second on floor, and unfortunately, 6th on the beam. After the buzz of her wins at the Classics, we saw Simone return to Visas. Here, she finished in the bronze medal position in the all-around, won vault, and finished 6th on all the remaining events. But she did make the Junior National Team



   Biles' senior debut came in 2013. Her first meet as a senior was with teammate Katelyn Ohashi at the American Cup. She and Katelyn were the replacements for Elizabeth Price and 2012 Olympian, Kyla Ross. Simone was looking good for the first two rotations, she was expected to win, but on beam, she fell on her back handspring back handspring layout series, and when Katelyn had a hit beam routine, it was looking bleak. But not impossible. But it became so when she stumbled back on her landing, ultimately giving the title to her teammate, Katelyn Ohashi. After her second place finish at the American Cup. Simone went on to compete at the Jesolo Trophy, where she won the vault, beam, floor, and all around competitions, also contributing towards the team's first place finish. After this, Simone went to Germany to compete in a tri meet with USA, Germany, and Romania. Once again, the U.S won the team gold, and Simone swept the titles on vault,, balance beam, and floor. But she tied for second in the all around behind Kyla Ross due to a fall on the bars. Next, Biles competed at the 2013 US Classic, where she performed poorly. She fell several times, and scratched vault after hurting her ankle on floor. Next, was the Nationals. Simone won the all-around here, as we are all aware. She also won silver on vault, bars, beam, and floor. Simone of course, made the World Team for USA. She qualified into first for the all-around final, second for the vault,  sixth for the uneven bars finals, fifth to the balance beam finals, and first to the floor. Yes people, thats right, she made all five finals, becoming the first woman to do so since Svetlana Khorkina, and the first American woman since Shannon Miller. She won the gold medal in the all-around, finishing nearly a point ahead of her teammate and silver medalist, Kyla Ross. Next was vault, where she came in second place, behind teammate and world-renowned vaulter, McKayla Maroney. Next was bars, and the only event Simone didn't medal in, but came in fourth. In beam, she won bronze behind World Champion, Aliya Mustafina, and her teammate Kyla Ross, and finally, she picked up another gold medal on floor, making her final medal count, two golds, one silver, one bronze. Lets just assume that Simone left those World Championships VERY happy. 



   People had thought Simone had had all the success one could have in 2013. But that is not true! Simone was supposed to  compete at the 2014 American Cup, on account of wanting to rest up a shoulder injury. So, Simone skipped that one. After missing out on the American Cup, Simone went to the Pac RIms with the US team, but that pesky shoulder injury stopped her from competing there as well. So, the first few weeks of the competitive season weren't going so well for Simone. Her first competition back was the US Classic (Finally!!!) She ended up defeating 2013 US Classic Champion, Kyla Ross, and by a large margin.  She also won vault, beam (Tied with Kyla) and floor. After Classics, it was  Nationals for Simone, where she won the all-around title once again, defending her title from the year before, she won it by nearly four points over silver medalist, Kyla Ross. She also won titles on vault and floor, tied with Alyssa Bauuman for the silver medal on beam, and placed fourth on bars. 


 
 Next was the 2014 World Championship. Simone qualified into every event final but the uneven bars. First was the alll-around, where she won. Even though her performance was great in Nanning, as expected, what was even greater was when Simone was chased off the medal podium by a bee! Simone was proudly accepting her medal and boquet, but when she picked up the boquet, there was a bee!! Simone started running around the podium, and dropped her flowers! Teammate and bronze medalist in the all-around, Kyla Ross, joined in. And Larisa Iordache, the silver medalist from Romania, didn't even flinch. Many are still watching it today, 5 months later. Anyway, next for Simone,was the team competition, where she did every event but bars. Then,  was the vault, where she won the silver behind North Korea's Hong Un Jong (Even though many thought Jong didn't deserve it), and ahead of teammate MyKayla Skinner, who took the bronze. Next, was the beam. After watching her teammate Ashton Locklear compete in the bars finals, Simone was eager to get out there. Simone competed a stunning set, grabbing the gold medal, with China's Bai Yawen and Russia's Aliya Mustafina behind her. And finally for Simone, was the floor finals, where she defended her title from the year before, just like she did with the World All-Around Title.  So, Simone had even a better 2014, than 2013. And that is crazy



 Even though the 2015 season has barely started, I wanted to note that Simone dominated at the AT&T American Cup, winning by nearly 5 points ahead of copatriot MyKayla Skinner. She not only won the all-around, but won everything. Yes, that means she won the all-around, the vault, the bars, the beamm, and hte floor competitions. BAM! THERE IS NO BETTER WAY FOR SIMONE TO START HER 2015 SEASON. NO BETTER WAY! Seriously, I think the last 2 years have panned out well for Simone. 



   So, with Rio only a year away, things are looking good for Simone. I really want to see her winning golds in Rio. Good luck Simone, you're amazing! 

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